The Summer of L & D
by 50shadeofomg
Summary: Life for the kids of Elwood City has gotten a lot harder now that they've gotten older. They all have a lot of hard lessons to learn, especially when they take on adult roles too early. Can they all make it through summer alive? First Arthur fic. Rated M for a reason
1. Chapter 1

**The Summer of L & D**

(Full Title: The Summer of Life and Death)

 **CHAPTER ONE**

Arthur looked over his summer reading list with contempt. Brain was helping him with some of the harder novels, but thanks to NASA Space Camp, he was unable to give more than a few answers to very specific questions. Arthur only had "questions that [were] far too complicated for [Brain] to answer." All he wanted to know was how the book ended so he wouldn't have to read the darn thing.

His computer beeped: There was an incoming video call from Francine.

"Hey, baby. You still trying to crack those books? Just buy the cliff notes. It's what everyone's doing," Francine smirked, rolling her eyes. Arthur sighed at her: How many times would he have to explain to her that he didn't have the money for that if she always wanted to go places. "Guess what, angel? I got a new swim suit this morning. You won't believe how big it makes my breasts look."

Arthur's face gave away the sudden boner he'd just achieved. Francine giggled, stepping back from the computer screen, giving Arthur a full view.

"So, what do you think?" Francine asked seductively, turning to show her voluptuous profile. Arthur smiled, winking at her. "Go ahead. I wanted you to this time. Just no more Japanese school girl uniforms, 'kay?"

Arthur moved his hands towards his belt. Francine began doing some moves for him as he unzipped. He was sitting just so that she couldn't see his movements as he began to masturbate.

"ARTHUR! LUNCH!"

"She is such a buzz kill," Francine scoffed. "Hurry up and finish, you bad, bad boy. Mommy'll spank your sweet ass if you don't."

Arthur sighed with content, and Francine smiled flirtatiously.

"See you tonight, babe," she grinned, turning off her camera.

"I'M GOING TO THE BATHROOM FIRST!" Arthur yelled downstairs. His mother didn't respond, and Arthur hoped she heard him over the sound of DW's blaring television show and Kate's endless chatter. Arthur almost forgot how annoying it was to have an elementary-schooler in the house, then Kate grew into that stage. He sighed heavily, wondering how many more years of this hell hole he'd have to take.

Muffy was lounging on a pool raft, floating around the wave pool while sunbathing, a tabloid in her perfectly cared-for hands. She turned the page, oohing at the latest fashions from New York for the summer season. She made a mental note of her favorites, hoping that he daddy would pay for it all. He hadn't lived in the estate in seven years thanks to a little mistress drama, but Muffy could still get whatever she wanted with a simple phone call.

Besides, it's not like her mother was so innocent herself. The Latin pool boy was a prime example of male beauty, his perfectly-toned abs glimmering in the hot sun. Muffy often took pictures of him "because he wore the best swim trunks," but they were really for her mother. Muffy was into the Prince Charming types, the men who could take care of her, not the men who were paid to take care of her. But her parents had taught her there was no happily ever after, especially when affairs were involved.

"Baily, could you refill my lemonade?" Muffy said into her phone. It had a special feature that allowed her to use it as a walkie-talkie, and she used it often. Baily was perfectly aware of this: The drink arrived soon after, along with more sun screen.

"Your mother requested you use some of this, Miss. Should I get Carlos to apply it?" Baily questioned. Muffy scoffed to herself: That bitch was always trying to ruin her fun.

"I think I'll go inside now. Do you mind hiding my sunglasses in the bushes? They have a camera in them, and Mom wants more video of him," Muffy said loudly, her voice echoing across the pool. Carlos definitely heard her as he cleaned the marble surfaces with a soft rag. A smile was on his face, and Muffy rolled her eyes with discontent.

Baily did as he was asked, though he really didn't want to get involved with this horrid behavior. He'd much rather be shopping with Muffy or providing more beverages, not participating in adultery and stalking.

As Muffy reentered the estate, she passed by a wall of her portraits that dated to her birth. She was a cute baby, she thought, stopping to admire the picture. 'I looked good as a toddler too,' she smirked, moving to ages two, three, and four.

She skipped the rest, scoffing at her horrid hair, always in those disgusting pigtails. She wore it in the New York styles, sometimes the Parisian styles if she was feeling exotic.

But the photos brought back the memories of her past, the days when she and her classmates were close friends. Those days were over.

In fifth grade, Muffy caught Sue Ellen and Mr. Ridgeway, their teacher, in a strange position, one that looked like the two were kissing. She made a big fuss, which caused them to lose the beloved Mr. Ridgeway due to the charges her words brought on. Sue Ellen never spoke to her again.

In sixth and seventh grade, Muffy made it her mission to make Fern look appealing. An older classmate liked her, but not as she was...or so Muffy thought. The two ended up going out, and when they discovered Muffy's interference that had lasted over the course of the two school years, including the summer between, they tried to humiliate her. It didn't really work, but the two never spoke to Muffy again. He moved away the next summer, and Fern hadn't had another boyfriend since. She didn't even have any friends, and Muffy wondered if she was the real cause.

In eighth grade, Francine, who had already grown distant from her, began going out with Arthur, who hated Muffy after what he did to Sue Ellen (they went out for a while too in seventh grade, just before spring break. Sue Ellen went to South America during the break and caught a parasite. She didn't return to school for the rest of the year, and Arthur moved on during this time). The two became inseparable and were still dating despite the summer break: Muffy couldn't leave her house after dinner hours because she'd see them no matter where she went. The two hated her now, especially when Muffy suggested she doll up some more to keep Arthur in her grips. Both turned on her, and neither had even looked at her since that time.

Binky didn't like her because she rejected his advances in sixth grade. She really did like him, but her mother and father refused, calling him a "fat oaf who was just after her money." She wanted to apologize to him, but he'd been kept back a few times and suspended just as much for his involvement in fights. She rarely saw him anymore, especially since she rarely left the estate.

The only people that ever talked to her were the girls of Oakwood Academy. She would be going there in the fall, and she'd be living on the lavish campus. It would be the life she always dreamed of, and she couldn't wait. She already had a few good friends thanks to the internet, and she already had her outfits picked out for months in advance.

"Who cares about this stupid place? I'll be a queen where I'm going!" Muffy said to herself, sinking into a soft armchair in her bedroom. She began using her smart phone to talk to her friends, losing herself in the continuous messaging, the sun sinking lower and lower behind her until it went away completely, welcoming the night.

George sighed heavily. The ventriloquism camp was a good use of his parent's money, and he and Wally were quite happy with themselves. But the volleyball camp next door, specifically the GIRLS volleyball camp next door, was not such a good thing. During their free hours, they sat up on their hillside, looking down on the ventriloquists and making jokes. George and his large antlers made him an easy target, and it didn't help that he'd just rolled down a hill, breaking his arm and Wally in the process.

"Cheer up, George. They don't know a good man when they see one," Wally said. George shook his head softly, turning away. He'd doubted his abilities before: Being the boy with the dummy made him a target of bullies all through middle school. But now it was different: If he couldn't fit in with his own people, maybe he should just give up entirely.

The nurse came back with more of the fabric-like material that would make up his cast. All they had was pink, yet another insult the world was throwing at the boy. It didn't help that he was already in physical pain, now it had to be emotional pain as well.

"Hey, kiddo! You ready to head back to camp?" Ranger Dave said. Ranger Dave was the dummy of Ranger Steve, the director of the camp. He was George's only friend right now, it seemed: He was the only one who wasn't laughing during his accident. He was the only one to help.

"I think I want to go home," George said sternly, turning away to hide the tears in his eyes, both from his emotions and the pain of the nurse pulling the gauze around his arm.

"Look, I know it's not easy being yourself sometimes. I've spent many nights in your position, and though it's hard, I got through it," Ranger Steve smiled. George sighed heavily.

"How long did that take?" George asked. He was serious, wanting to hear a good answer. Ranger Steve couldn't say the truth: He'd had a dummy since second grade, and that same dummy gave him fifteen black eyes, a few cracked ribs during his school years (counting college), and divorce papers and alimony checks during the current era.

"It seemed to take forever, George, but it only feels that way on the inside," he smiled. "Come on, one more week. Parents Day is coming up, and you need to perform your routine. And Wally, we've got a good doctor waiting for you back home," Ranger Dave said. Ranger Steve peeked out from behind him, and George smiled.

"Okay, but I'm leaving with them," George said sternly.

"Whatever you say, kid," Ranger Steve grinned.

"Hurry up, nurse! We've got a van to catch!" Ranger Dave exclaimed. The nurse giggled, and Ranger Steve noticed a distinct twinkle in her eye. He slipped his number to her before he left. Maybe his first wife was just the spawn of her Satanic mother. Maybe there was someone out there for him.

The nurse never called him back. She threw the number away during the same shift, careful to show it to her friends first.

"Loser," she spat, tossing it into the bin and walking away.

"Mom, I can't wear that! It's insulting!" Sue Ellen exclaimed, pushing away the Swedish outfit her mother presented to her. "I'm going to be my American self while I'm there. It's what they expect."

"I was just trying to help, sweetie. Let's not fight: You're only here two more days," she smiled.

"You're right. Just stop trying to fix my wardrobe. I've already discussed it with my new classmates: They want to see the real me, and they promised I won't look silly. The modern Swedish woman would never wear something as hideous as that."

"It's not hideous!" her mother grinned, seeing Sue Ellen's smile. "But I guess to the new generations it isn't very appealing. I'll keep it in the closet for you, just in case. Now, let's head off to the stationery store for some paper. You better write to us every day!"

"I know, I know! It'll keep my English in check too, though Brain wants me to write him in Swedish. He's going to take an online course when he gets back from NASA camp. Wouldn't it be so cool to reach zero gravity?"

"I guess. I don't really know what that is," she lied. Sue Ellen scoffed at her, taking the keys from her. They were immediately snatched back. "You have another year, young lady. And when did you talk to Brain? If he's at camp, shouldn't he be doing camp things?"

"They have the internet, Mom! You're so naïve!" Sue Ellen grinned, accepting the passenger seat and its many air conditioning vents. It was a sweltering summer, and her mom had wet stains under her arms. Sue Ellen grimaced, turning her head to keep her from seeing.

"So who else is he talking to?"

"Arthur has been getting reading help, but Brain told him just to read the book. They are quite good: I got the reading list even though they know I'm not going this year. Hopefully they won't think I'm truant and arrest you," Sue Ellen giggled.

"Oh, hush! I've got papers on you, you know! Who else?"

"He's trying to show interest in Fern-you remember her right?- and her writing. She's been doing a hundred thousand words a month for the last year, all for some contest. She's already got publishers after her, he says. But she doesn't talk much: She just emails him edited drafts. She's very secretive with her writing."

"Many people are. Your classmates might've insulted her writing before. Maybe it's her way of protecting herself."

"I never insulted her. I rather like her writing, actually. She does it so effortlessly; I'm jealous!"

They entered the stationery store, and Sue Ellen blushed quietly. Fern was reading a book while grabbing up all of the notebooks they had. She went to the counter without poking her eyes up from the pages. Sue Ellen noticed it was a writing book. She left her mom to go talk to her.

"Hey, Fern. Why are you reading that? I thought you were amazing!" Sue Ellen exclaimed, a wide smile on her face. Fern didn't look up.

"Everyone needs to improve, Sue Ellen. Thank you," she said to the cashier, and she walked to the exit, nearly running into an elderly woman shopping for cardstock. She said something to the friend that was with her, but Sue Ellen didn't hear it: She was joining her mother in the stationery aisle.

It was an ordeal to shop with her mother, but it ended soon enough. But Sue Ellen couldn't remember what they'd picked even once they reached the cashier: Her mind was on Fern, and the thoughts wouldn't subside.

Buster went to the hotel desk to pick up his mail. He'd been staying there since they landed in Newark, and their mail had been forwarded by the airline. Most of it was junk, but a magazine for _Food Weekly_ was in the box. A letter from his mother was there too.

Bitsy had married Grover Buckley, an intern at the paper. The relationship ended her job and forced her to take up freelance journalism, though it wasn't hard to work from Grover's lovely midsized house. Buster had stayed there while he was in sixth and seventh grade, battling through the endless arguments with Grover, and with Bitsy. She just wouldn't believe Buster when he told her that his bruises were caused from Grover, injuries that always happened while she was out, injuries with no witnesses.

So Buster went on his usual summer trip with his dad, packing all of his things like usual. Except he wouldn't go back, not while she was with that bastard.

He smiled to the maids as he placed the main neatly on his father's desk. He'd get it in two days: He was flying to Cairo, New Delhi, and Moscow before heading back to Los Angeles and eventually Newark. He'd be exhausted when he got back, but it was the price of the modern airline pilot.

A comedic cartoon blared from the television. Buster looked over and saw Bionic Bunny: The New Chapters playing. He smiled reminiscently before turning it to his new love, Barry Spring. The fighting couples, or former couples, made him think of his mother: Maybe she'll leave the bastard, or come on here to dump him for the maid. They didn't have a maid, but it was Buster's current favorite story. The last was that he'd dump her for his step-brother, but that quickly faded when the step-brother died from colon cancer. If it weren't for teenage angst, he would've felt bad for the fucker, but even now, the emotions of guilt and regret never came.

He flipped through his magazine, looking up occasionally to see what was going on in the show. It wasn't very interesting today: Tranny fights and one-night stands with women who are really men didn't interest him very much. He looked back to his magazine, fantasizing about the different dishes. He thought of ordering room service, but the bill was already too high. He decided to go to the streets and look for a vendor, but it was a holiday: Memorial Day. The street vendors would be at the parks, especially the ones where fireworks would be tonight. Buster sighed heavily, going for a McDoodles burger instead. It only cost a dollar, and it put a dent in his never-ended stomach.

'I wish I had someone to talk to,' he thought, remembering the days when he and Arthur were inseparable, especially in the summer when they'd often spend the night at each other's houses, only separating to go to the bathroom or for Arthur to deal with his little sisters. He wondered what they looked like now, especially Kate, who was growing like a weed. He thought of writing Arthur for old time's sake, but then he remembered their last letter: He was dating Francine.

Francine and Buster weren't real enemies until seventh grade when the Geography Bee put them at a tie for first. Francine was highly competitive, and she blamed him for cheating by writing on his arm. There was writing on his arm, but it was his dad's new email address and personnel code for the airline, which merged with another and changed its systems. No one believed him, and he was disqualified. She rubbed it in his face for weeks, and since she was always with Arthur, to avoid her she had to avoid him, not like it meant much for that: He wasn't sticking up for him like he used to.

No one was the same anymore, he realized. Francine had become not just a bitchy tomboy with a competitive streak but a bitchy bombshell, whose sports body had filled out into model-quality curves and beauty. She didn't age like her sister: She was a real knock-out. And she knew it too. Buster couldn't associate with her anymore, and if Arthur wasn't lusting after her, he would realize that himself.

Buster walked through the park, watching the children play. He remembered his elementary school days as the kids played new versions of old games. He sat on a bench to watch, trying desperately to shake the urge to contact his friends. He should've left and the feeling would have left with him, but instead he stayed until dark, letting the feeling grow stronger.

He composed an email to them when he got hope, thinking their addresses were the same while wondering if he really should send it. At ten o'clock, he hit send to Arthur's account as well as George's. George's responded with a vacation message: He'd get to it when he got back to ventriloquist camp. Arthur's came back a second later: His address wasn't valid, meaning he'd changed it or abandoned it, just like he'd abandoned Buster.

Buster slammed the keyboard's track into its holding area. Luckily he didn't break it, but he didn't care. 'Time for bed,' he snapped internally, angrily throwing on his pajamas and snuggling beneath the covers. The sound of fireworks helped him release his anger just enough to sleep.

Binky watched television from behind his sister. She had discovered the new Chinese channel, and she watched it constantly. Wrestling was still on his mind, and he wanted badly to watch it, but he hated making his little sister cry. He was missing a coverage special on wrestling at the moment, but he didn't want to make her move, not again.

"Do you mind?" she asked, turning around. Binky sighed, turning and sulking out to the yard.

Binky kicked a small ball around before realizing it was the neighbor's ball: They were notorious for hitting it over the fence while playing baseball. He threw it over, interrupting the book club meeting between his mother and the other neighbor mothers, including his own. He called over an apology, and the ladies turned away without a word: Their latest novel, _Lust in Salt Lake_ , was all they ever talked about. Binky and his father were tired of hearing about it, but it was never mentioned in front of the younger kids. Binky yearned for those days again, but he knew they were long gone.

Binky checked his pocket and found two dollars. He went inside and asked if his sister wanted him to buy her an ice cream: He was going to the park to get one. She didn't even respond, so he left for the park.

He walked slowly, checking out the scenery. The town had changed a lot since his childhood: Molly her family had moved long ago thanks to a factory shutdown. In the place of the factory's workers came in the immigrants, all seeking work at the foreign company that moved in. While the town was now more culturally diverse, it was a lot more crowded, and several new subdivisions were built to house the new people. Six new schools were built, and thanks to his being held back in eighth grade, he'd be moving to a new middle school.

He contemplated quitting altogether, but he was one year too young.

School didn't come easily to Binky. Not only was his brain not made to hold the complex math problems and big words in textbooks and novels, but he couldn't keep his temper in check. He was almost expelled the past year when a bully at the elementary school began targeting his sister and her best friend Kate, Arthur's baby sister. He went to the school to beat up the little punk, but the school's security forces caught him first. They charged him with attempted assault, trespassing, and truancy because he wasn't at his own school. Binky held his ground, telling the board the truth. They allowed him to go back, but only because the new bullying policies hadn't been announced yet and Binky was acting on a good deed.

"But if we ever see you again, it's alternative school for you," the board's leader said sternly. His words still echoed in Binky's head. His principal had said the same thing at the end of the last school year. Now he'd have a different principal, and he hoped he was just as good as Principal Haney and Principal Sprocket, the middle school's principal. Both gave him more chances than he deserved, and Binky knew it.

The park was nearly empty due to the noon heat. Binky bought a cone and stopped to eat it on a park bench. He watched the neighborhood children ride their cool modern scooters through the park, scooters that worked like elliptical machines on wheels. Binky envied them: He missed his childhood already. The Sugar Bowl went out of business, his friends moved on, and no one seemed to notice him anymore except to pick a fight.

Binky knew deep down that he wasn't that horrible person that everyone made him out to be, but no one seemed to notice that side of him: The side that played in the band, that did ballet, that took part in plays…. All they saw was his size and tough-looking face, not the decent kid inside.

Binky dropped his cone on the bench, and he sighed heavily. Other boys his age would drop any number of curses, but Binky wasn't the type. He might say "hell" or "damn" on accident, but never for something that silly.

As he went to throw the ruined cone away and get some napkins to clean it up, someone tapped his shoulder. Binky turned to see the ice cream man, a fresh cone in his hand.

"You don't have to do that. I was almost done anyway," Binky said, shaking his head and pushing it away.

"No, you deserve it. At least take it with you. Someone at home must want it," the man smiled. Binky nodded, but he still didn't accept the treat.

"I need to wipe off the seat. Will you keep it in the freezer until I get done?" he asked. The man nodded, and sure enough, the cone was still there when he finished. He thanked him, saying how much his sister would enjoy it. The man smiled back: He was so happy to see such a kind young man.

Binky rushed home so the ice cream wouldn't melt. All his thoughts said was 'Someone noticed me!', and a wide smile was across his face. Passing pedestrians didn't move to the other side or walk on the grass to avoid him: The smiled back.

Binky knew what he had to do: He had to be happy and positive all the time, and people would finally see how good he was.

'Maybe the Crosswire's will finally-' he let the thought end. Muffy had rejected him long ago, and a simple change in his personality wouldn't change anything. He sighed heavily, but his smile soon returned.

"I got you a cone anyway," Binky called to his sister. She held out her hand, accepting the treat. "I knew you'd want it," he grinned. "You're welcome, Sis."

He almost went to his room, but instead he sat beside her.

"Are there English subtitles?" he asked.

"Of course not!" she grinned, a smirk on her face. "But I'll tell you what's going on 'kay?"

Binky accepted her offer.

His mother came home a few moments later, and she stood in the entryway to watch them, a large smile on her face.

'I did good,' she thought, moving to the kitchen to start dinner. They'd eat at the couch tonight, laughing at the Chinese programs, being a family together. 'We're so lucky…,' they would think. They were right.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Arthur and Francine made their way into the crowded pool area of the local park. Boys and men looked their way as Francine arrived, and she hadn't even removed her cover-up yet. Arthur gave them all dirty looks, a final scowl causing his right contact to fall out. He was instantly half-blind, and Francine scoffed angrily, helping him bend down and look for the contact, much to the joy of the people behind her.

"I told you that glasses would be better. I shouldn't swim in these things anyway," Arthur said sternly.

"Oh, not you babe. You should wear glasses, just not those hideous brown things. I'll help you pick out new ones," she smiled. Arthur realized she meant the people behind them who were staring, but he still wasn't happy with her reply.

"That's not how it works. I used up my insurance money to get the contacts. I have to wait another year to get new glasses," Arthur said sternly.

"Don't be silly, Arthur. You can just lie to get new ones. Katherine does that all the time with her work insurance."

"We don't get that kind of insurance, and Mom would never go for it. I'll be fine; Don't worry about me," Arthur said quickly, standing up.

"So you're just giving up? Seriously, I thought your mom was cool. I guess she doesn't realize you're a grown man now," Francine grinned, hugging him. She let her hand wander, but Arthur pushed her away.

"Do you mind if we just go for ice cream? I hear the Brain's parents are having a sale for the holiday weekend," Arthur smiled. Francine grinned, leading him towards the pool's exit, careful to strut carefully. She noticed quite a few positive reactions in the crowd, though she ignored the angry glares from the female patrons who were trying their hardest to keep their men contained. Francine withheld giggles as they walked a few blocks up to the shop.

"Arthur! Francine!" Brain's mom smiled. "What can I get you two?" she asked politely, ice cream scoop in-hand.

"We'll have your special sundae, the one you guys offer on Valentine's Day," Francine replied. Arthur's face went pale: He couldn't afford that.

"Well, our banana shipment didn't come in. I could get you a brownie sundae instead and make it for two," she offered. Francine accepted the offer before moving to the island behind her. It contained the spoons, napkins, and extra napkins. The shop had tried just handing them out to people like they did in the old days, but the excessive traffic within the store made that impossible.

"Thank you," Arthur smiled as they reached the cash register, "It looks delicious. How much do I owe you?" he asked, stuttering over the words.

"How much do you have?" she asked.

"Five and...the last dollar is in change."

"Four. Your serving is on the house," she winked. "How are things going for you lately? I only hear about you when you're asking Allen for homework help. He wants you to read the books yourself, you know," she grinned.

"I know, and I will…," he murmured. He might as well attempt to, though he was sure that Francine would get in the way. "I'm doing okay. I'm looking forward to the summer."

"You should come back if you can. I know our prices can be a little high sometimes, especially for a demanding eater like her, but give us a try. I'll keep helping you out," she smiled, winking again. Arthur peeked behind the counter: They actually did have the bananas.

"You're too nice," Arthur smiled, taking the tray to the table Francine chose. It was carefully hidden in the corner, meaning only one side of the booth was highly visible. Francine chose the other one, giving them the privacy they needed to feed each other brownie bites and ice cream with romantic looks in their eyes.

"You're a good man, Arthur Reed," Francine smirked, whispering in his ear. She nibbled it seductively, pulling away with a crazy smile on her face.

"What's that about?" he asked. She glanced down, making sure her magic was working. She looked back up: Arthur realized what she meant. "I don't have any protection," he whispered fiercely. His father had given him "The Talk" shortly after he started dating Francine. He took it to heart, even though his old man would buy him any protection: He'd have to do it himself, but he was too nervous to do it, so he never did, thinking he didn't need it.

"I'm on the pill; It's okay," she replied with a smile. Apparently he didn't need it.

A few minutes later, they were in a private area downtown near the ice cream shop. Francine was still in her bikini, making quick work of it all. Arthur slipped off his trunks, and Francine squealed in delight.

"You didn't tell me you have an anaconda down there. Come here, you!" she grinned. Only her cover-up was on now, and she easily mounted him.

The sensation of Francine's vagina made Arthur cum immediately. He'd never felt such an amazing sensation on his penis, not even when he discovered lotion. It was warm and succulent, much like a rich homemade pudding.

"Keep going. You'll get hard again," Francine said, pumping her hips. Arthur fell back against the wall, and they soon had to switch so that his back wouldn't be scraped to death, not like he cared.

He pumped his hips awkwardly, but he soon got the hang of it. He listened to Francine's quiet moans as they merged with his. His dick became hard again, just on time with Francine's raised nipples. He'd never seen her breasts so beautiful, and he buried his face in them. He gently sucked on the right one, making her quicker against the wall. He pumped harder as her left hand cupped his bare butt cheek, urging him to keep going.

"Oh-my-god," he moaned. Suddenly his penis exploding again, sending a large load of semen into the eager Francine. She had came herself, a wet sensation hitting the tip of his penis, covering it as he gave her one last pump.

The two dismounted, panting and giving each other star-struck looks. They redressed slowly, flirting with each other as they did. They returned to Francine's apartment, making out at the entrance to the building and nearly having sex again right there in the lobby.

"See you tomorrow, Romeo," Francine grinned, leaving Arthur with one final kiss and a firm yet gentle squeeze of his balls. He grew hard again, and Francine gave him a quick handy, careful to keep them both hidden as Arthur received the jerk of his life.

When it was over, he realized he had cum on her hand. He began to apologize, but she shook her head. She licked it off, walking away seductively.

Arthur could barely make it home he was so tired. Who knew that sex could be so exhausting?

Muffy looked through the garments, carefully pushing the button to the carousel in her closet, pausing every now and then to handle the fabric. Half of the dresses were too small now, and she really needed some new shoes due to a growth spurt in her feet. Baily added these to the list: He was watching her from an armchair placed discretely in the corner. When Muffy's mom was around, she'd sit in the chair, carefully helping her daughter decide which dress to wear to the formal events, which outfit was best for shopping...and what to wear to court.

The first divorce hearing was the Tuesday after Memorial Day, better known as D-Day to Muffy: Divorce Day. The first day was done now, all thanks to a heated argument between the two sides. Dad wanted all of the money and the estate, stating he built it and he should be allowed to have it back. Mom wanted her happiness back, but since he couldn't provide it, she should have the estate and half of his assets, just like he promised in the prenup.

Muffy had no idea what was going on, but she knew it wasn't a good thing. It ended with both sides being asked to calm down or they'd end up with a contempt of court charge (Muffy wondered if that was like charging a mink coat). Their lawyers agreed to be the only ones present at the next hearing in two weeks. Muffy sighed: Whatever happened was out of her hands anyway.

"Do you need to sit down, Miss? You're swooning again," Baily said. His firm forearm was the only thing holding her up. Muffy regained her balance, shaking her head and looking back to the carousel.

"Are we going to lose all of our money? I really need a new wardrobe, and I'm not just saying that because these clothes are out of date: They simply don't fit anymore."

"Miss, I do not understand the affairs of your feuding parents. I suspect you'll be well taken care of no matter who gets what."

"Will I get to stay here?"

"You're old enough to stay where you please, Miss. The court may ask for you to testify, and they'll allow you to go to the parent you choose to stay with. I expect you'll choose the one who gets the estate?" Baily guessed. Muffy nodded, sitting carefully on a nearby stool. Bailey usually sat on it to help her with her shoes, but it was the closest available seat at the moment. Baily almost switched with her, but she refused.

"My friends say their parents have married and divorced many times, and if they're still together, they're always fighting about affairs and business trips. They say I'm lucky they lasted this long, but...I don't understand. They were so happy before Daddy had to sell the business and buy into that mining operation in Tibet. He made it all back, but all those business trips…. I thought he'd leave and never come back. I guess I was right," she said sadly.

"He still loves you, Muffy," Baily said sternly. Muffy looked up, nodding with understanding.

"I know they love me, but I'm not the center of attention anymore. I'm not being selfish, but neither of them ever call unless they want to say something bad about the other person. I'm just the run-around girl, the person who has to run around and do things for them. I'm done with that!" Muffy spat, standing up and looking back to the carousel. "I'll pull out the ones that are too small. Do you mind donating them or something?"

"Yes, Miss," he replied.

The pile grew and grew, but Muffy's expression never changed. After thanking Baily, she moved back to her room, curling up on the bed and losing herself in her smart phone.

George regretted his decision immediately. Even his own camp mates were completely against him now.

When Ranger Steve came into their cabin to turn out the lights, George went outside with him, his things with him. Ranger Steve sighed: He'd heard the boys taunting him during dinner, and he knew George would want to leave again. He didn't even try to stop him this time.

"I'll take you back tonight. Go wait for me in the main cabin, okay?" Ranger Steve said solemnly. George obeyed.

The main cabin smelled funny to George, and strange moaning sounds were coming from the storage closet. A few minutes later they stopped, and the lead camper emerged, his dummy case beside him. He looked highly flustered as he quickly escaped the room. Moments later, one of the older camp directors emerged. He flushed immediately.

"May I help you?"

"Ranger Steve is going to take me home," George replied.

"Don't tell him about this, okay? He's not of-never mind. Just keep this between us, alright?" he said. George nodded, but he refused to shake his hand. He figured out what was going on, and he wanted no part of it.

A few minutes later, after the director had left, Ranger Steve arrived, car keys in hand. He looked exhausted, but George didn't want to argue with the man: He really wanted to go home before things got any worse, if they could get any worse.

Once in the vehicle, Ranger Steve helped him buckle his seat belt. After making sure things were situated, they left the camp grounds for the nearby state route.

"I called your parents from my cabin. They're going to meet me halfway, somewhat. Neither one could come right away, so we'll have to wait a little while. We might even be able to get some sleep while we wait."

"Why can't they come?" George asked. His mind instantly went to their entire family: Which of them was dying or dead this time?

"They didn't want me to tell you because you've been through enough, but...your uncle is sick. He's not dying or anything: They were just visiting him tonight a few hours away. Your mom is staying with family up there, and your dad is coming to get you. You'll both go home, he said."

"Oh. He's been sick before. He'll be alright."

"They said not that one, the other one," Ranger Steve sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry about this whole summer, kid. Things'll get better for you, but it's going to take some time."

"I know. I'll get used to it. I always do," George murmured.

"Try to stay positive," Ranger Steve smiled, patting his knee in a friendly way. He almost patted George's shoulder, but that was the arm he hurt, so he knew better. "Do you want to listen to the radio?"

"No thanks," George replied, looking out the window. There wasn't anything to look at because of the night, but it was better than staring at the car's interior.

George dosed off during the trip. He was starting to dream when the car jerked suddenly, jolting him away.

The car was rolling down an embankment. George shrieked, trying his best to stay calm, but as they hit the bottom painfully hard, he couldn't stop screaming: Ranger Steve wasn't beside him anymore and there was a gaping hole in the windshield.

The car rolled a little more, and the one headlight that wasn't broken showed Ranger Steve laying on the cavern's floor. George carefully exited the car, then he ran towards him.

"Ranger Steve! Ranger Steve?" George asked. The man moaned, saying something. George leaned in closer.

"There's a cell phone in the dash. See if it works," he said so quietly that George barely heard what he was saying.

But George did as he was told.

Sadly, the phone didn't work. He grabbed the first aid kit instead. Ranger Steve grinned at him.

"Son, that won't help me. Listen, you need to go back….," he paused to groan and wince with the pain, "...back to the road. Climb up the ridge. Use the rope in the back. Someone will come by eventually and...take us out of here. Go. If you take too long it'll be too late."

"But I shouldn't leave you!"

"You have to, George, or I will die," he hissed, wincing again.

George found the rope in the back of the car. He didn't know how he'd climb the steep mountainside and get to the top, but he was going to try.

Fern looked at her wall of binders. Each one was labeled with its start date, finish date, and the page numbers for the start and finish of each month of work. She was crazy about word counts: Her goal was 100,000 a month, 1,200,000 words a year, and she had reached it the year before. Now she was trying again: She was ahead by sixty thousand words, but that wouldn't stop her from reaching the 100 every month.

Her pen ran out of ink, and she carefully found another to replace it. She began to write.

She went pale, and sweat beads formed on her forehead. She groaned, tossing her pen down.

"Why can't I do it anymore?!" she cried, putting her head down on the desktop, careful not to get the ink on her forehead.

Writer's block had been hitting her recently, ever since she saw Sue Ellen in the paper store. 'Why did she have to question my methods? I've never questioned hers,' Fern thought angrily, slamming her hand onto the desk. It burned, and Fern immediately regretted her decision.

"I hate them all!" Fern shrieked, pushing away from her desk. The chair rolled to the window, and she stared out it without seeing anything: She was blinded by rage.

Fern had started hating people when they started questioning her about her writing. Only a handful of people had never questioned her, and Brain was one of them. With his being at NASA camp interrupting his usual internet time, she hadn't received valid feedback since the first week of summer. She needed that feedback, she thought, and she couldn't wait for him to return.

But everyone else could go to hell as far as she was concerned. They question her and question her, and they steal her pens and paper and binder. They steal her pages, posting them for all to see, "LOOK AT THIS PIECE OF SHIT!" splattered across their faces.

She knew what she had to do. She wrote them all into her next mystery, an unsolvable one, it seemed. She murdered them brutally, every last one of them. Blood spilled across many pages. Her writers block was gone and so was the most of her anger.

"Why didn't you read the letter from your mother?"

Buster refused to answer. He knew exactly why, so why should Buster have to spell it out every time she called or sent a letter?

"Well, I won't bother you again, but...she wants you to visit her mother, and I say that's not a bad idea. You're doing better with the bills and all, but I think you'd like having a permanent home for a few months at least. And she could use your help around the house."

"Will Mom be dropping by?"

"She'd have to take you th-"

"Then I'd rather not go," Buster interrupted.

"Buster, you need to put this behind you. Your mother and stepfather are happy together, and you need to just-"

"I thought I told you what happened!" Buster shrieked. His father stepped back for a moment. He sighed, shaking his head. "He beat me, Dad! And she let him! She ignored me, saying he could never do such a thing! I'm never going back, NEVER!"

"Now that you've got that out of your system, let's keep it down for the other patrons," his father whispered. "But...I can't do anything now. There's no evidence for the police, just your word against his, and while I believe you," he said sternly and louder, keeping Buster from interrupting, "there is nothing I can do for you now. But...I will protect you.

"The airline has a car service. I'll see who is headed in her direction on your arrival date. She has a neighbor who could pick you up, or your uncle might. And I'll tell your mother to keep away."

"Thanks, Dad," Buster said, accepting a hug from him. It felt so good to be believed, and he was almost in tears from happiness. "Can I get a McDoodles burger for dinner?"

"Make it a Big McDoodle, two of them. I'm feeling hungry," he smiled, handing him a twenty and sending him on his way.

Prunella looked over the floor, trying to spot the friendliest patrons. Her supervisors warned her of the people to stay away from, and she carefully avoided those rooms on her way across the room.

The nursing home wasn't where Prunella wanted to spend her summer, but her mother insisted, thanks to a fortune telling session that went horribly wrong. The only good part was the love affair it mentioned, which could mean a date for prom in a year's time. Who knows, if he's old enough, she might be able to go this year.

Unfortunately, she was still too close with her younger friends. The year apart from them while they finished middle school helped a little, just like it did when they were in fifth grade and she was in sixth. But she was still finding them everywhere, having nice conversations with them before they'd head in their own directions. She never did that with friends her own age, or the older ones, and she wondered if something was wrong with her.

"Ma'am can I get you some more ice?" Prunella asked. The woman was wearing a "hard of hearing" sticker on her shirt, so Prunella spoke extra loudly. The woman nodded, and she moved off to the supply room where the ice machine was.

The door opened behind her, and two orderlies came in. They were both quite handsome, and Prunella made sure she played it cool as she scooped the ice.

"I heard about that," the brunette said. They were mid-conversation, Prunella realized. "You'd never expect that if you'd see her sister."

"She has the mouth of a horse with the face of a hippo, that broad," the blonde laughed. Prunella grimaced: He was NOT for her. But she was curious about who they were talking about.

"What about that guy she seduced, that horse trainer?" the brunette asked.

"No, he seduced HER. He likes 'em young. I hear he nailed the younger one too. He's a miracle worker. I need his moves."

Prunella knew who they were talking about now. She quickly left the room and got back to the day, the gossip on her mind. The brunette was as well, but he never appeared again. She was glad for it: She didn't want to hear anything more about the people she thought she knew well. She hoped she was taking things out of context, but deep down, she knew that she was on the right track.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Arthur was stuck at home. With Mom out of town at a conference and Dad catering a special affair at the governor's mansion, Arthur was home alone with DW and Kate. Worst of all, Francine was stuck at her aunt's house caring for her sick cousins. They could communicate via text message, but with Francine's limited signal, the two decided to wait until nighttime when they could both get online.

"Ni hao!" Kate smiled. Binky had brought over his little sister to play with Kate. DW had Emily upstairs playing the latest game, Name That Celebrity: Vampire Edition. The two girls had found Trollyte: Tales from Transylvania, which made them enter on the vampire craze that was sweeping the nation. The two best friends were on opposing "teams" though: DW was Team Ebola and Emily was Team Edmonk, but they seemed to be getting along well enough.

"It's nice of you to invite us over," Binky said. He was being the polite one: Kate had already dragged his sister into the den, leaving him alone.

"It's fine. DW has Emily over, so I might as well let Kate have someone," Arthur groaned. "I don't know how you do it, Binky. You've always liked your little sister. I guess I got the faulty ones."

"Your sisters can be a handful at times: Kate has been scolded by my mom a few times, and I remember those DW stories from elementary school. But they're both pretty cool sisters. One day you'll need them, so stay close."

"I'll never call on DW for anything."

"That's what my mom said about her little sisters. Then she twisted her ankle while Dad was away on business, and I couldn't do everything because of school. So she called her youngest sister, Ami. She came by, talked to Mom, did a few things for her, and left, saying she shouldn't have come in the first place. She felt betrayed because we didn't go to her first or second wedding.

"So Mom called Aunt Penny, and it was the best decision she ever made. They caught up, and not only did she get help, they talk all the time now. Seriously, they're like little insurance policies that you don't have to pay for."

"What do you know about insurance?" Arthur murmured. Something was different about Binky: He was so much nicer and cooler now.

"Mom taught me all about it. You never know when you'll have to take care of your own business. You should really start learning about the world, Arthur. It's bigger than you think."

Binky left moments later: He had to help his Mom clean their garage. That left Arthur alone with three girls, all four in elementary school. He groaned heavily, collapsing on the couch.

'I wonder what everyone else is doing right now. Oh right, Brain is in zero gravity in a real NASA-funded base, Buster is traveling the world…. I am so pathetic,' he thought, groaning as he flipped on the television. Nothing was on...except the latest Bionic Bunny series. He watched it, smiling at the memories it gave him. He thought of the old comics and memorabilia that were locked in the attic: His mother wouldn't let him sell it for fear that he'd regret it and make people give it back. He thought of giving it a look through...until DW and Emily got into a loud screaming match.

Arthur screamed loudly, his scream causing them to stop and come to the top of the stairs.

"He's finally lost it," DW said, returning upstairs.

"You would think he would understand we were only playing," Emily said. Arthur wondered why DW wanted anything to do with her. She reminded him of Muffy, all stuck-up and "refined". Arthur groaned as he sunk back onto the couch. He hoped she wouldn't be in high school with him: She was bad enough in middle school to deal with, and even the years before that.

"At least no more of her dad's stupid ads come on," Arthur muttered to himself as the last segment of the show came on. He sat up intently, sitting cross-legged on the couch, leaning forward with anticipation. Some things never change.

Muffy sulked around the mall with Baily not far behind. The shopping trip was planned and well-funded, but she wasn't as excited as she thought she'd be.

She walked into her favorite shop and gathered the pieces she had reserved from the magazine. Baily paid and carried the items to a cart, then they left again, all within about ten minutes. The two sulked into the food court, and Baily treated them both to a light lunch of a huge pretzel. Muffy enjoyed hers, careful not to get any mustard on her blouse.

As she and Baily sat in the food court's seating area, Sue Ellen trailed past, her mother in tow. They were laughing and joking about something in another language. Muffy remembered seeing an article in the school's paper about her going to Sweden for her freshman year of high school. While her boarding school was a welcomed change, a trip to a Swedish school must be even better. Too bad she didn't know the language, the culture, or even where Sweden was on the map….

The two passed again, large slushies in their hands. They took a table nearby, and the two began whispering about Muffy. Muffy looked to Baily with pleading eyes: 'Can we please go now?' they begged. Baily was finished, so they began to stand.

"Hey, Muffy. How are you?" Sue Ellen asked. Her mother was smiling too much: The question was forced.

"Oh fine, and you?" Muffy lied. She plastered on a fake smile, hoping she'd get the opportunity to mention a fake event to one-up Sue Ellen. She wouldn't get the chance.

"Oh, just nervous about my trip to Sweden. I heard you're going to a new school too."

"Yeah, but it's an American school. I already have friends there."

"Same here. I love the internet now. You were right to be so connected with technology, Muffy. I envy your predictive eyes," she smiled. Muffy realized she was telling the truth, and she thanked her, quickly following Baily to their exit.

"You handled that very well," Baily said quietly. Muffy looked up to him softly. "You do not have to put up a front for your old friends. I'm sure they'd understand."

"I got a teacher fired by saying she kissed him. I'm sure she hates me, but her mother isn't the type to hold a grudge. That was just a battle of who has a better life, Baily. She wins by a long shot."

"Not necessarily. Sweden is very far away, Miss. I'm sure she'll hate it," Baily grinned. Muffy smiled too as he opened the door for her. Baily knew exactly what to say, she realized, and she thanked him as she sat in the back of the limousine.

She looked forward and gasped: Her father was sitting across from her.

"Daddy?" Muffy questioned.

"I need to talk to you, sweetie, and your mother has been screening my calls again," he said. Baily looked in from the back area. He didn't approve, but the man was still paying his salary. "Listen, things are changing, muffin, and I don't know how well it's going to turn out for all of us. Your mom and I can't agree on anything anymore, and I hate putting you in the middle, muffin, but you're there already."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You have to choose, muffin. You have to choose between your mom and me. Whoever you choose gets the estate, the shares, and anything else we're battling over that's of value to both of us. You're the sole heir, but while we're alive, they need to go to someone. Why not let you decide?"

"I can't decide that! I love you both!"

"I know you do, sweetie, but...think about it. You're the only one going to the next hearing: We were asked to stay home. When you go, you'll testify about who you want to stay within the estate."

"Why can't you both stay? Why can't things go back to the way they were?" Muffy cried. Her father smiled sympathetically.

"It just wasn't in the cards, muffin. Too much bad has come between your mother and me, and now you're the only good we have left. We both still love you very much, but that's all we have in common any more. It's been over for a while. We were only fooling ourselves by sticking together. I felt you should know that, but I don't want to bring you into the details of this. You don't deserve that. You don't deserve any of this."

"I'm glad you both still care about me...but I hate you both for making me decide. Baily, take me home, and get him out of here," Muffy said sternly. Her father sighed, leaving without saying another word. He did stopped to kiss her cheek, or at least he tried to: She pulled away.

He wondered if she'd made her mind up already, and if that was a sign. She wondered the same thing.

George crawled up the embankment little by little. With one arm broken and parts of him injured from the crash, it was tough going. But Ranger Steve needed him, and George planned to save his life, if he could.

George didn't realize that it was a single-car crash, and Ranger Steve was the cause. The trip made him just as drowsy as George, and he fell asleep at the wheel. With no guard rail, it was an easy descent, aside from the rocks, trees, and other features of the land. Add in a broken seat belt, and it was fairly obvious why Ranger Steve was plastered on the ground knocking on death's door.

George heard a car go by above him: He was getting closer. The sound urged him on, and a moment later, his good hand was on the solid edge of the shoulder, just inches away from the tire marks. Ranger Steve hadn't applied the brakes until the last second, when the front tires had already plunged over the side. It was too late: The car was simply going too fast. George was oblivious to this: His eyes were on the road.

A car passed, and he ran to the edge of the road. He waved, and a hundred feet later, the car stopped. A couple emerged from the car, the woman with a first aid kit. She began tending to a scratch on George's forehead while he spewed the story to the man. He had a powerful satellite phone, a military-grade model: He was a Marine.

Emergency personnel arrived, and George tried desperately to follow them to the scene. But he was pushed back, forced into the back of an ambulance by a pair of paramedics. While he fought them, they both decided that he would be allowed to stay until they heard word on the condition of the driver. During that time, he was allowed to call his father: He'd be okay, but he'd be late getting home. His father promised to meet him at home, and he asked to be kept updated.

George watched as men repelled down the ravine, which was being lit up by portable lights. They could see the wreckage, but Ranger Steve was still hidden.

They found him once they got to the wreckage, but things were silent for twenty minutes.

George watched as the men repelled upwards. They retrieved mechanisms to extract the car, and they accepted George's pleas to get their dummies from the front seat so they wouldn't be damaged further. The officials agreed, all of them exchanging glances.

Fifteen minutes later, the car was on the shoulder. George began asking about Ranger Steve as another police vehicle arrived: It was time for him to go home. A lady cop escorted him to the car, the paramedics in tow. They forced him into the backseat. George tried opening both doors, but neither would budge. He pounded on the windows while the paramedics and lady cop talked. When she entered the car, George pressed up again the bars keeping the front and back seat separate.

"WHERE IS HE? WHY AREN'T YOU TELLING ME ANYTHING?!" George pleaded. She held up her hand.

"Put on your seat belt and we'll talk," she said sternly yet quietly. George obeyed, but he was confused. He began sweating as well: Something was wrong. "Okay...we have some bad news."

"No…" George cried.

"Mister Johnson didn't survive, George. We're sorry."

"No!" George scream, pounding his good arm against the side of the car. "No…," he sobbed, breaking down.

They began driving him home. Not another word was said between the three of them, aside from George's cries.

He had reached his breaking point with the loss of his one ally. He couldn't handle it, not with all the other crap in his life. He wanted his room, his bed, a safe place, any safe place.

He curled up into a ball. The officers contemplated taking him to a hospital to get him checked over, complete with a psychological check over. But they continued on the George's home, keeping a close eye on the boy for suicidal behavior.

He was too numb to hurt himself now. He didn't even speak to his father when he got home: He let the police talk to him.

Wally and Ranger Dave were settled in on the kitchen table. George's father stared at them into the night, two of the surviving three who witnessed the crash. He'd been told what happened, and he still couldn't believe his sun was alive. He broke into tears, his mind racing. 'How will I explain this to his mother?' was his only thought.

Buster accepted one of the ten free tickets the airline gave his father a year. He took the flight to the closest airport to his grandmother, and a car taking two passengers to a neighboring town picked him up at the gate.

One passenger was a kid DW's age, Buster realized, and the two enjoyed playing games on the way to Buster's destination: He would be dropped off first. The mother seemed grateful: According to Buster's father, they had a ten-hour flight complete with plenty of delays due to wild summer weather, and they were desperately ready to go home.

When Buster arrived, his uncle was sitting in his pickup truck listening to the local country station, sipping a Koke-A-Fizz soda. Buster knocked on the passenger side window, and his uncle reached across to unlock the door: No automatic locks in this vintage '68 Fard truck.

"How was your flight?" he asked.

"I've had better," Buster replied. There was no food service for the two-hour flight, just packaged peanuts and bottled water, juice, or soda. The alcohol-drinking adults were quite ill with the limited menu, but they all survived in the end.

"Your granny's glad to see you. Me too: I need a strong hand to help me with the cattle. If she doesn't need you, do you mind dropping by? Ten days' work will repay the gas for your ride," his uncle smirked. He was always needing help on his farm, and Buster didn't mind helping: His ranch hands sometimes included beautiful females, and Buster hadn't had a real girlfriend yet, making the trips more worth it.

"I'll be there," Buster promised, nodding sternly as they turned up the dirt road leading to his grandmother's house. His uncle tipped his hat to him as he got out, gently reminding Buster to lock the door back. Buster obeyed, and he carried his bags up the worn front steps into his grandmother's house.

The door opened, and his grandmother welcomed him, hugging him tightly.

As Buster lifted his head, he noticed a small figure on the couch. It was Bitsy.

"What are you doing here?" Buster asked sternly.

"Come in and sit down, Buster. I'll get you some lemonade while you two talk. And you will listen to her: She's got a lot to say to you."

Buster reluctantly let his grandmother lead him to a waiting arm chair. She walked off to the kitchen, leaving Buster and his mother alone.

Despite heavy makeup, Buster could still see the bruises on her face.

"He turned on you too, huh?" Buster asked. She nodded softly. "So you believe me now?"

"That's why I'm here: I need you to testify. I believe you, Buster, and you'll help get him put away for longer," she pleaded. Her spirit had been broken, Buster realized, and she sounded frail and young, like a scared child.

"Dad said there's no physical evidence, so I can't charge him," Buster murmured. Bitsy nodded quietly.

"I can't disagree with him, but the police have already accepted the count. You have to testify now, and it's up to the jury. The trial will be over the summer: I've asked them to go quickly to keep you in school. He'll try to counter that, I'm sure, but we'll do our best."

"I'll help, but only because I hate him. I still haven't decided how I feel about you," Buster whispered. His mother nodded softly.

"I deserve that," she said, her voice breaking. "But we're in the same boat now. You need to put your feelings aside just to win this fight. I put aside my feelings too."

"You still love him after all he's done?"

"We almost had a child together, Buster," she cried. Buster gave her a perplexed look. "I got pregnant, but I miscarried. He said it was my fault, and that's why he beat me," she sobbed. "I left that night. I knew you were right, and I knew my life was in danger. I'm still weak from the miscarriage: I couldn't handle anything more."

"I'm sorry," Buster murmured, "for everything. I'm sorry."

The two hugged, and Buster felt a smile hit them from the kitchen. His grandmother had been watching, but now she was delivering lemonade and fresh cookies still warm from the oven. Buster ate them happily.

The family had been repaired, just in time for the biggest trial of their life...literally.

Francine sighed heavily. Her cousins were making her tired, and she wished for a warm bed so she could curl up and go to sleep. It had been two weeks since she last left the house for her home town, since the last time she saw Arthur.

She craved him, but the two of them made it work with nightly video chats, complete with plenty of erotic conversation. The two over them were way too oversexed for their age, and Francine couldn't wait to spend another great night for him, if she could ever get enough sleep.

She was given a quick nap while the cousins went to the doctor and out shopping for groceries. She used every minute for sleep, but she woke up feeling just as tired. She wondered if she'd caught the cousin's bug, and as soon as they got home, she asked to talk to her aunt.

"Well, you don't have a temperature. Have you eaten anything weird? I thought I heard you get sick this morning," she asked, her voice concerned. Francine shook her head. "I'll make an appointment with your regular doctor. The girls are better now; you should be able to go home."

Francine thanked her for everything, and she promptly went to pack. By that evening she was on the bus home, her phone finally working. She told Arthur she was sick after he asked for a date, but he wanted to see her anyway. She argued with him for a few texts, but eventually she agreed, feeling a twinge in her loins from lack of use.

Once home, Arthur snuck into her room, and the two began making out. But Francine asked for a break halfway through, leaving Arthur confused.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. She nodded.

"I see that you're happy to see me," she grinned, squeezing his cock through his pants. It grew harder, and she took off her pants beneath the covers.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not up for it, but you are. Call it a rape fantasy. I have some duct tape over there. Tape my mouth shut and go to town."

"I don't have any condoms," Arthur said with hesitation. Francine scoffed, getting the tape herself and placing it over her mouth. She held up her wrists, and he bound them too.

Arthur hated it. While her vagina felt as pleasant as it did before, knowing she was bound and tied wasn't helping him. Francine realized it too, so she tried something else. Arthur undid the tape, and she put her pants back on. She then went towards his waist with her mouth.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

She kissed the end of his penis, the sensation sending chills through him. Moments later, she was gently sucking it, careful not to scrape her teeth against the sensitive flesh as she moved it in and out of her mouth. She felt Arthur growing quite hard, and she shoved the penis down her throat. The sensation was powerful, and Arthur came so hard he wondered if he broke her teeth.

"I like to swallow," she grinned, kissing his cheek.

"Wait…I thought you were a virgin."

"I'm not, but it's okay. Some people will always have more experience than others. That's nature."

"So that's why you're always so eager for sex: You knew what it was like."

"Well...yeah," she sighed.

"What else do you know?"

"I know not to try anal again," she grinned. She laughed quietly at his horror-stricken face. "I'm kidding, Arthur. It was just a few times with an old trainer of mine. He taught me everything, even how to masturbate properly. I can get there in two minutes flat and stay there for ten more. It's a great skill when your boyfriend isn't around."

"So...can I try?" Arthur asked.

"Try what? Fingering me? I told you I'm not in the mood. I really do think I'm getting sick with something. I haven't felt right for a few days. I've been exhausted and nauseous in the morning."

"And you're on the pill?"

"Yeah, why?" she replied quickly.

"You're not, are you?! You're pregnant!" Arthur hissed, careful to keep quiet.

"Why would I lie to you?" she questioned shrilly, also trying her best to keep quiet.

"Francine, this isn't funny! We can't have a baby! We're not even in high school yet!"

"I'll just get an abortion…," she started. She grew pale: She admitted to him the truth, and he wasn't happy.

"They passed a law banning abortions in our state. And you still need a parent's permission. We're screwed!"

"Look, I'm sorry. Nothing ever happened with Nate, so I expected the same from you."

"Wait, Nate? Nate Johnson?"

"Yeah, why?"

"That guy's the face of the vasectomy campaign in the area. I see his articles when I go to the doctor."

"What's that?"

"That means his parts don't work. He can cum, but there's no sperm. You can't get pregnant from people with vasectomies. I don't have one, obviously. Man, what are we going to do?" Arthur sighed heavily.

"My parents won't be supportive. What about yours?"

"Dad had the talk with me. He's had enough of children: He won't support me. And Grandma Thora is too old to care for a baby."

"Adoption?"

"Adoption," Arthur groaned. "It's our only option, but everyone will know it's you and me. People will turn on us. We'll be the talk of the town, and everyone will hate us."

"Maybe I can go somewhere. I've seen it in movies."

"Yeah, movies. Why can't our parents be rich like Muffy's parents or Sue Ellen's?"

"Sue Ellen's parents aren't rich. They save their money to go on trips like they do. You already knew that."

"Well either way, Muffy has it made. That's probably why she's such a bitch to everyone."

"She learned that from her mother," Francine sighed. "I'll look online for some places. And I'll see what my doctor has to say too. I trust him to keep quiet: He's not even from here."

"I'm sorry. I should've resisted."

"I shouldn't have bothered you with it," Francine whispered. "I'm the one who's sorry. I'm a whore, Arthur, a worthless whore."

"No you're not."

"Well get used to hearing it. If word gets out, that's all you'll ever hear about me from now on," Francine cried.

Arthur needed to return home. As he dressed, Francine grabbed his penis, pulling it towards her gently.

"No more of this, even if it's a perfect specimen. Really, Arthur, you're lucky. Nate is only three inches. Do you know how little that is? That's why I learned to masturbate: There's nothing there. I felt you, man did I feel you. Gyrate a little in your sleep and I'll be happy all night," she smirked.

"Maybe I'm a whore too," Arthur grinned: He was hard again.

Francine stroked the penis using a firm hand. Arthur moaned quietly as she went faster and faster.

Just when he was about to cum, she stopped. She laughed quietly as Arthur turned around. He put his pants on, careful not to catch his boner in the zipper. He then went to the window, pulling it out again. Francine chuckled as he finished out the window, the glob of cum landing with the sound of a rain drop on the lower neighbor's patio.

"Howard, is it raining?!" a voice called.

"No, Ma! Quit looking out the window and go to sleep!" a male called back.

Arthur kissed Francine goodbye. He wanted to say that he loved her, but he held it back. She pulled a dirty trick on him, and now they were a pair of very screwed people. He sighed heavily as he sneaked back home. Hopefully things would go well, but he knew to prepare for the worst.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Brain checked his messages. He noticed many from Fern, at least the week before. She'd since stopped sending him messages: Truly, she hadn't left her room in a week. Sue Ellen had sent a few messages too. Brain picked the latest one and read it slowly.

She felt like she'd angered Fern, and she knew she was probably right: Fern's mother had reached out to Sue Ellen's, and the two had a three-hour-long conversation about something in the private den of Sue Ellen's home. She heard nothing the entire time, but her mother was asking questions later. Sue Ellen couldn't answer them: Fern was a loner now, and she obviously preferred that life over all else.

Brain sighed heavily. He liked helping his friends and hearing out their problems, but he had dreams that reached far beyond both of them. His trip to the NASA camp was his ticket into the science world, and he'd already received physics and engineering scholarships from a few in-house sponsors. He would accept one of the offers: He only had two more years of high school work before he could move on to college, and he'd need their support to pay for it. But he'd have to leave his friends behind.

A message arrived from Fern. Brain noticed the attachment was far larger than usual, and he wondered if it was really a word processing document or if it was something else. He clicked the link, downloading the file.

The sheer size of the document told him that was why she'd been so quiet, why she hadn't left her room in a week...and why people were asking questions about her.

The title was "Massacre of the Amigos," and the Table of Contents revealed there were over seventy chapters. The document was 300,000 words, and each page was filled with death, murder, blood, rape, and any other horrible thing you could do to someone.

He immediately searched for his town's directory. He needed to call someone, whether it betrayed Fern's trust or not. She obviously needed help, help that only he could provide...or so he thought.

'WHAT IS THIS?!' was the subject of the message that popped into his inbox. It was from Sue Ellen: She had received the document too. Her chapters were highlighted: They were the bloodiest of all.

'Brain, I don't know what to do about this. Fern's lost it!' her message read, the document in the attachment.

'I know what we have to do. I'm calling her parents. She obviously needs a psychiatric evaluation, and it must be provided before she acts on these feelings. Her history with mystery novels has given her a detailed reference on the subject of murder, stalking, and torture, all of which are listed. The contact must be made,' Brain replied. A few moment later, Sue Ellen replied.

'She might hate us for it, but make the call. The number is 555-8978. Be quick.'

The phone rang three times, then a woman answered. It was Fern's mother, and she sounded very upset.

"Ma'am, I need to question you about Fern. Is she alright?" Brain asked. The woman whimpered.

"She's perfectly fine, fine perfectly...I mean perfectly fine!" the woman stuttered. Brain shot Sue Ellen a quick message: 'Call the cops. I think her mom's in trouble.' "How are you, Allen? Aren't you calling from NASA camp? What are you doing today?"

A blow landed, and Fern's mother whimpered.

"No more small talk, okay," she cried. "Allen, I need to let you go. I've got a cake in the oven, and-"

"No, please, let's talk. I really need to ask you about a book I read recently, a Victorian-era novel. Aren't you in the local chapter of the Victorian Establishment?"

"Well, yes, I'm the president. What do you need to know?" she asked nervously. Brain knew to keep stalling: Sue Ellen had responded telling him it would be ten minutes. He needed to be on the line those full ten minutes.

"Well, the leading character in the book showed discrepancies. I thought Victorian ladies were never to go out alone, at least without a servant or escort."

"That's-That's right," she stuttered. "It was preferred to use a male family member-"

A blow landed, and the phone fell. Brain called out to her, but he received no answer.

Suddenly, a moment later, the phone was picked up.

"I'm afraid Mother has fainted. She really did need to get off the phone to deal with a little problem. She's diabetic, and she hasn't eaten since last night. We must be going," Fern hissed darkly.

"Wait! I liked your novel," Brain said kindly.

"My novel? Which one?"

"All of them. I haven't had time to respond, but I read all of them. You're amazing. The publishers should accept your work for sure."

"Keep going," Fern smiled. Brain had found the sweet spot. If only it would last the entire eight minutes remaining.

"Well the characters are so developed in every piece you've ever written, and your endings are the best endings I've ever read. While most mystery authors end with the whole 'It's over, the bad guys are in jail now,' you give an epilogue about the future. I hate books that end abruptly, but yours never do. It's like there's life beyond the pages, and you can put the book down comfortably without feeling lost or lonely."

Fern paused. She was reveling in what Brain had said, rolling in his words with pure excitement, her hands trembling from happiness. But a thought flashed in her mind, and anger returned.

"Then why did Sue Ellen question my ability?!" she screamed.

"When did she do that? Tell me what happened."

"She asked why I was reading a writing book. She questioned my methods! Her character deserved her fate…," Fern hissed, drawing out the last line.

Brain thought for a moment, then he said, "Sue Ellen thinks you're an amazing writer. If you were reading a writing improvement book, she was probably confused. You're the best writer she knows, counting the published authors she reads from all over the world. She didn't question your methods: She thinks you're already perfect."

Fern sank to the floor, tears in her eyes.

"Does she really feel that way?"

"She's asked to see your work a few times now, but I didn't want to betray you and show them to her. But she loves the pieces she's read, and she wants to see more."

"She really means that?"

"Yes!"

After a moment, Brain realized she was crying. Fern was laying on the floor now curled up in a fetal position.

"What have I done? What have I done!?" she sobbed.

The police arrived. Fern's mother only had a minor concussion thanks to a blow from an old kerosene lamp, but Fern was being committed to the local hospital until she recovered, or at least was evaluated and diagnosed.

Brain passed on the message to Sue Ellen and told her what started everything. Sue Ellen promised she'd try to see Fern before she left for Sweden, but she had already postponed her flight twice due to family emergencies, and she couldn't do it much more so that she'd have time to adjust to the new culture.

'I wish you luck,' Brain replied, 'and I hope you get to see Fern before you go. I expect she'll send you pieces now, if she remembers. I fear she was in a manic state when this all happened. She might be suffering from bipolar disorder.'

'Keep me updated if she doesn't message me. And send me her work anyway. I think she needs all the raving fans she could get.'

Brain agreed, but he couldn't decide whether it was worth it.

It was time for the next activity, and he left the computer station, carefully making sure no more messages had arrived while he was standing. He was on edge now, his jitters getting the best of him. He hoped it wouldn't affect his performance.

Muffy walked into the courtroom with Baily just behind her. She was wearing an outfit she'd typically wear to a funeral. She'd rather be attending one at the moment: Anything was better than turning on one parent to benefit the other.

She had an idea of how to do things, but she didn't know if the court would accept it. She planned on trying it first: It would keep her from betraying one parent for the other.

The doors at the back of the room were closed as the lawyers arrived. The judge arrived moments later, causing them to stand. Muffy was reluctant to do so, but she knew she better do it or she'd be in major trouble.

"Good morning, all. It's nice to see a few less faces here today. Those two will be the death of all of you," the judge smiled to the lawyers. "Now, the daughter is here today?"

Muffy stood, and he nodded, gesturing her to the front of the room. A bailiff helped her to the bench, and the judge asked if she'd made a decision. She nodded, and he gestured for her to take the stand. After she was sworn in, the question was asked: "What is your decision?"

"I...have a proposal to make," Muffy whispered.

The judge nodded, and the lawyers looked intrigued. Muffy knew to continue.

"I want to stay at the estate. It's my home, and I refuse to leave. But I will not choose between my parents," Muffy said sternly. "I recommend a schedule: They'll both have their time in the estate, but they won't cross paths. And I'll have my parents," Muffy cried.

"We tried working out a custody rotation-"

"Silence," the judge said, staring down the standing lawyer, Muffy's mother's leading lawyer. She sat down reluctantly. "Now, I've liked that idea since the beginning, but your parents have not been so keep to agree. Who would be the primary caregiver?"

"Daddy's overseas a lot, so he says, so I guess Mom."

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere," the judge nodded, making notes. "I recommend letting Muffy come up with the schedule. We'll do a few months in advance, then it'll be up to her for the rest."

"That's ridiculous!" her mother's lawyer spat, standing again. "She's not even fourteen yet, Your Honor, and she's leaving for boarding school in the fall. She won't be home to choose, so what'll happen then?"

"She's right," her father's lawyer added. "She's leaving this fall for school, and her father's office is moving back into the area."

"Muffy, you need to choose between your parents if you won't be home," the judge said after making the lawyers take their seats again.

"Can I have another day?" Muffy questioned.

"Dear God, this has gone on long eno-"

"Silence! Another outburst from either side and I'll have you all arrested!" the judge bellowed, interrupting her mother's lawyer. He then looked back to Muffy, a kind look on his face. "You have the next few hours to make your decision, but it must be made today." He looked back to the court. "We'll be on-call for the next few hours. Court adjourned until the decision is reached."

The gavel banged, and Muffy felt tears in her eyes again.

She desperately wanted her parents more than anything in the world, but going to high school with her childhood friends and abandoning the news ones didn't seem like a viable option.

She went to a nearby coffee shop with Baily, sipping a hot coffee while he sipped tea. She thought heavily for two hours, then her decision was made: She needed to stay home. She needed her parents.

Court was brought back into session. The decision was finalized. Muffy had won.

George's family rallied around him, and many family members followed his mother home to see her little boy. They doted on him, sending homemade treats to his room. He ate nothing.

"He's just depressed is all," his aunt told his mother. "I would be too if people bullied me all summer then my one ally died."

"We're his allies too," his mother said sternly.

"We know good and well that we could never shelter him everywhere he goes. We're his allies at home, but he needs allies in the real world," his aunt whispered sternly. "And if he can't find them, then we should do what we can to protect him. It's the least we can do for the boy."

"She's right," George's father said, "but there's only so much we can do to protect him and make him into a normal young man. But there is an option."

"No, not that again," his wife groaned.

"Just hear me out. The online industry has made it quick and easy to homeschool your children. George wouldn't miss out on the curriculum, and he can finally be alone. We can set up a room at the shop for him to work from, and he can go to work with me. When he's tired, he can go online and fool around like he always does. He'll still have a sense of normal, he just won't be subjected to the pains of his past."

"I don't agree with this at all! We can't homeschool him. What if he needs help that we can't provide?"

"There's an online high school," he murmured, passing a printed-out pamphlet on the organization. "I've already looked into enrollment: It's free aside from learning materials. We can buy them online to save money. We'll save on meal plans, field trips, and all the other bull from public schools, and he'll still get the attention he deserved from a qualified e-professor, who is a real person, but they just communication through the internet."

"You should ask him if he'd like to do that," George's aunt whispered. "I know it's not my place to interfere, but I think we should leave it up to him. He does still have friends here, doesn't he?"

"He had an email from Buster in his inbox. We've been screening it lately," his mother replied. Her husband gave her a stern glance: He didn't like spying on his son and he wanted no part of it. "He just wanted to ask questions. Apparently he's feeling pretty lonely too, living alone in hotel rooms and such while his dad flies all over the world. I've heard some awful rumors about his mother too, so I imagine he's pretty low right now. If that's a friend: A boy who calls only when he needs it; then George is better off alone."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up, but...let's just stop talking about this. Go ask George what he wants. If he doesn't answer right away, so be it. We're going to see his ally being buried tomorrow. The least we can do is give him space...and time. He won't recover overnight," George's aunt said.

The conversation ended, and George's father went to check on his son. He was asleep, so he left.

George opened his eyes. He'd heard everything, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, the idea of going to school online sounded pretty appealing. He just wanted some time alone, is all.

He turned to look at Wally, whose repaired frame was on his computer desk.

"We should go it alone, Wally. There's too much pain out there."

"What are you doing, George?" Wally asked. He gasped. "What did you do?!"

A long scab was on George's wrist. He'd tried cutting himself the night before with an old razor, but he didn't do it right, causing the skin to swell and burn but no blood to fall. It made him feel better, though, and he planned on doing it again.

"He is so dreamy! We should send him an email and ask if he's single," DW grinned. She and Emily were off on a shopping adventure at the mall, out to get the latest tabloid magazines and have a quick look at the dreamy cashier in the record store. Currently they were flipping through their magazines, ogling the latest front-page actor, while eating Dipped Dots at a bar-height table.

"How would we get his email?" Emily asked. The actor actually wasn't her type: His clean-cut jock ways and complete rejection of non-American cultures angered her to her French-loving core. But she could flatter DW all day: She rather liked seeing her friend blushing over gorgeous guys in the magazines. She hadn't found a real-life boy to like yet, while Emily had. Nate was the sweetest guy she'd ever met, and he promised to show her the world...eventually.

"On his website, there's an email address for fan mail. We should totally write to him," DW exclaimed.

Emily nodded, finishing her treat. She looked around the shop windows, trying to decide where to lead DW next. She was actually ready to go home: They had a riding lesson that afternoon, and Nate promised to take her to the barn at the far-end of the property, where Mastered Skill had been kept during his first days. He was a famous race horse now, and Emily couldn't wait to see his old stall.

"Are you even listening to me? Let's go get new hats. I saw some in Eva's," DW grinned. Emily shook her head.

"I have a lesson later. But you can go without me. Here's a twenty. Buy me the best one you can find," Emily said, handing her the bill. DW agreed, and the two parted ways.

Emily walked home, and she immediately left for the barn. The countryside was beautiful thanks to the warm, noon sun. The ranch looked even more beautiful, and Emily stepped out of the car with a dazed look on her face.

Nate led out their two ponies, tipping his had to Emily's mother, who followed the female ranch director into the main barn to do work.

"Let's go, poppet," Nate smiled, helping her onto her pony. Nate mounted his, his long legs making easy work of the task. "So we're going to Hidden Meadow?"

"No! We're going to Mastered Skill's birthplace," Emily giggled. Nate was so funny.

They trotted along the gravel path that led to the barn. Once they were away from most of the workers, Nate began talking to her with his sweet voice, suggesting that she was more beautiful than anything else in the entire universe. Emily blushed: She was flattered, and she was definitely smitten with the man.

Once at the barn, they dismounted and walked inside. Nate shut the main door to keep out the gnats that swarmed the entryway. Emily thought nothing of it: Her mind convinced her there really were gnats, that it wasn't just a ploy to lock her inside.

"He was in that stall there," Nate pointed. "The morning sun would spill in every morning, a wonderful sight...though not as wonderful as you."

He moved to kiss Emily, but Emily pulled away. She was in the stall now, and she was corned.

"What's wrong? I thought you liked me," Nate grinned darkly.

"I do, but I shouldn't kiss you."

"You told me you wanted to learn how to be romantic. It starts with a kiss," he hissed, grabbing her arm.

"No! Let go of me!" Emily screamed, pulling away. She was on the far side of the stall now: There was no escape. "NOOOO!" she screamed as Nate forced her against the wall, kissing her deeply.

"Now you'll learn why we don't fight kisses," he said evilly, pulling down his pants. His small penis was fully erect, outstretched like a broken pinkie finger, staring at Emily's horror-stricken face with its hideous figure.

Emily kicked as Nate's hand began working at her skirt. It was really a dress, so he couldn't pull it down. He started pawing her, trying to go up from the bottom, Emily screaming and fighting the entire time.

Her underwear fell to her ankles, and Emily began fighting as Nate pushed his waist towards hers. She felt his hard penis hit her legs, and he grunted each time.

"STOP FIGHTING ME!" he screamed. Emily disobeyed and continued to fight.

A door opened, and suddenly Nate was on the ground, a large ranch hand on top of him. Emily ran to her mother, who stood just outside the barn. The director she'd left with was standing beside her, a stern look on her face.

"No one will speak of this, and neither of you should come back," she said, beginning to walk to her horse to ride away.

"THAT MAN TRIED TO RAPE MY DAUGHTER, AND YOU WANT TO IGNORE IT?!" Emily's mother shrieked.

Nate appeared from the barn...on the top of the man's back.

"The cops won't allow this kind of punishment. It's the only way to teach him," the man said. Blood from Nate's broken nose dripped down his back as he went back to his horse.

"He has a point, Emily," her mother murmured. "Let's go home."

"I want him dead," Emily hissed sharply, tears streaming down her face.

"We can't do that, Emily. Come on, let's go."

Emily rode back with her mother. She couldn't calm down, and she couldn't just watch Nate go back to his tiny trailer practically unharmed. She hoped he burned alive, exploded suddenly, or fell into a pit filled with acid.

She never wanted another man or boy for as long as she lived. She wanted them ALL to die.

Buster gave his statement to the police from his grandmother's house. They would stay there during the trial, until his mother could find them a place to live. She'd lost many of her belongings to Grover, but she planned to get them all back with a police escort once they had somewhere to put everything.

Buster still wasn't sure what to think about his mother, but he was happy to be in a house again, with normal food, normal drinks...but no maid service. Making his own bed again was hard work, but Buster quickly found a routine.

The house had one computer, an ancient 1990's model that made more noise than a jet engine. It was connected with a dial-up internet connection, which allowed Buster to get online, but not check out his favorite sites. He could check his email though: George still hadn't responded.

Buster spent his mornings with his grandmother, helping her clear the overgrown yards and old storm debris, as well as patch up some of the windows and shingles. By the afternoon, he was exhausted, but he still went to help his uncle. There weren't any cute girls, but the two boys he met, Raymond and Ray, were pretty cool. They looked alike, but there were two different boys from two different families, brought together by the close-knit schools in the area.

Buster envied their relationship. It'd been so long since he had anyone to talk to that was his age, and now he had two people, two people that were so tight they shared the same thoughts. They finished each other's sentences, laughed at inside jokes that were never spoken, and said words that weren't words: They had their own language.

They were hard workers too, and they could eat Buster under the table. Buster had dinner with his uncle every night just to be with them.

But four days into this routine, a third boy arrived, and the tables turned on Buster. The third boy wasn't welcomed by the two that came first, meaning that boy stuck to Buster like glue, ruining the group dynamic. Buster left early that first day and the next, sadly looking on to the best friends as they worked together, laughing the entire time.

'I knew it was too good to be true,' he thought. 'But, my ten days will be up soon. It'll be okay.'

Buster stuck with it, and things didn't get any better. On the ninth day, he said he'd repay the last day when he could, but it wouldn't be the next day. His uncle, who'd been watching the boys from the fields, took Buster into his "office" (the supply room that housed everything they needed tool-wise).

"Those two boys like you, Buster, and that third boy had to ruin it. I get it. It's happened to all of us. But you've got to stick with it. Talk to them, get a contact piece, and talk to them outside the farm. There's a life beyond your own, Buster. You just have to break down your walls and go find it."

Buster realized the same could apply to school too. He'd have to find friends outside if he ever went back: Inside just wasn't the same anymore.

"Thanks," Buster smiled.

He talked to the boys after dinner. They both had emails, and accounts on his favorite sites. His uncle had been right: It was the start to a beautiful friendship.

Francine had waited for ten minutes for the doctor allowed her back. She'd convinced her parents that she'd go alone, and her first question to the doctor when he arrived was, "Do my parents have to know about this?"

"Is there something you need to tell me?"

"I think I'm pregnant, but they can't know. No one can know. I'm putting the baby up for adoption. I don't want it," she said quickly, tears streaming down her face.

"Calm down. I'll run the test, and I can make sure you're the only one who hears the result, but...it's not that simple, Francine," he sighed, sitting on his short stool and looking up at her. "You need to get tested for STDs, have prenatal care, which is a lot of tests, appointments, vitamins, diet changes. You might not want to care for that baby once it's here, but you have to care for it before then."

"But I don't want it at all!" she exclaimed. "I made one mistake, one stupid mistake! I should've known Nate was a liar!"

"Nate? Nate Johnson?"

"Yeah, he gets around a lot. What's your point?" Francine scoffed.

"I hear his name more times than I'd like to from mothers. You're a little old for him, but…"

"I had sex with him when I was younger. I was taking horse lessons, but I quit after I broke my ankle. I never saw him again. The baby is my boyfriend's. I told him not to wear a condom because Nate never did, and Nate taught me to say I was on the pill," Francine explained, head in her hands. The doctor was writing furiously.

"I'm giving you this card. No one has gone to the police yet, even the people at the ranch who've caught him more than once. They beat him up, lock him in his trailer, and call it a day. If you come forward, the others will come too, and you'll win the case. You can get the statutory rape charge, and in your case, damages. While you should've known better, he taught you what to say. It's his fault in the eyes of the right judge."

"What about the baby? I can't keep it," Francine cried. The doctor nodded.

"Let me run the tests. I'll call you when they come in, but I think you know what they'll find out. Start thinking of how you're going to do what I said with the prenatal care. That baby is your responsibility, and his. Is he of age?"

"No. We're both my age."

"Then you better start working over your parents, when the time comes. You might have a little while before you start showing, but don't wait too long."

Francine obeyed. After giving them blood, urine, and after letting him look at her privates, she left. She immediately called Arthur, who still wasn't answering his phone. He wasn't busy with his sisters anymore, and he certainly didn't want to do the reading he was probably doing. He was avoiding her, and Francine knew she deserved it.

Arthur noticed the missed call and realized Francine's appointment was just before the call was made. He decided not to call her back. He didn't want to know the truth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

George's father had finished the paperwork in the night. He was withdrawing George from public school and placing him into an online school, one that could give him everything he needed and more.

When morning came, he sat down at his kitchen table with a mug of coffee, and a warm pot sitting nearby. The funeral would be later that day, but George hadn't responded the night before when he'd asked if he wanted to attend. He hadn't said anything since the accident, and he wasn't talking with Wally much either. Yes, he had plenty of reasons to be depressed, but people were starting to worry. Plates were sent back to the kitchen with not even a crumb missing, and full glasses of water had been emptied into the bathroom sink.

"Good morning, honey," George's mother murmured. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," he replied, clearing his throat. "I think I'll wake him when I finish this cup. He'll need time to get dressed if he plans to go to the funeral."

"I think you shouldn't force him to go. He'll say his goodbyes when he's ready."

"I finished the paperwork," he said after a sip of coffee. She looked to him from the counter where she was making toast. "You can turn it in Monday when you make your daily rounds, and the paperwork for the online school is sitting in their inbox as we speak. He'll be where he belongs now, away from the people who tormented him."

"Why didn't you wait for me to help you with it? And why didn't you ask George for his opinion?" she asked sternly, sitting across from him.

"I had no reason to ask him. He's my son, and he's a minor. I don't need his input to make decisions. As for you, I thought you'd be completely opposed. You tried online school and failed miserably. George isn't like you, though, and I think he'll be fine."

"And everything's set?" she asked softly.

"Yes. You're not mad?"

"I've been thinking. While we should have gotten George's opinion," she said sharply. She then sighed heavily. "I think it's the best option. I guess you're better suited for those hard decisions," she smiled.

"I'm glad you agree with me," he said, rubbing her hand gently. "I'll go wake him now. He's slept long enough, and I want him to have a good breakfast this morning. Do you mind whipping up a few omelets?"

"Not at all," she smiled, heading to the refrigerator as he left the room.

A few minutes later, she heard a dull thud followed by a loud cry. She ran upstairs. As soon as she saw the grisly scene, she collapsed beside her husband. Their beloved son was dead, a box cutter at his side. Wally was beside him, head off with a note between his loose jaws. Neither parent could move: They were just too shocked.

"Good morning, Mrs. Read. Is this a bad time?"

"No, Francine, come in. I was just about to leave with DW and Kate, but Arthur is in the den. Keep the petting to a minimum, please," she whispered, patting Francine's shoulder as she walked out of the door. The two girls ran to follow her, not even looking at Francine.

When she entered the doorway, Arthur barely looked up. She sighed heavily, sitting beside him on the couch.

"Do you hate me that much?"

"No," Arthur muttered. "Mom is having to take the girls to Emily's house, is all. There's a lot going on right now, and I don't like you adding to the load."

"Arthur, we're going to be parents," Francine whispered. "You gave that load to yourself—"

"No, that was all you, Francine," Arthur said sternly. "I've been thinking, and I know my parents won't support either of us. I think you're on your own."

"Arthur, my parents will disown me! I'll be the first girl in my family—"

"Francine, I thought I loved you, but it was all lust. And you added to that lust by leading me on, making my body want you. I'm done, Francine. I didn't sign up for that kind of life, and I won't be a young father. You're on your own."

"But Arthur!" Francine sobbed.

"I've made my decision. I think you should leave now," Arthur said quietly. His eyes were fixed on the screen, and after a few moments, Francine heeded his command.

When she stood, she gasped, backing up into Arthur's view of the television. He turned to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Is this true? Are you two pregnant?" he asked fiercely.

"N-No," Arthur stammered.

"Wrong answer!" his father exclaimed. "How dare you not listen to what I told you, Arthur Read! And as for how you're treating her…I raised you better than that, and you know it!" he screamed. "Francine, we'll schedule a dinner for your parents. We'll all tell them together, and Arthur? If they turn her away, we're taking her in. You're going to be responsible, and if you decide to run away from her, you'll be turning your life into a living hell."

"Thank you!" Francine sobbed, moving to hug him. Arthur's father backed away.

"If what Arthur said was true, about you leading him on, then I don't want to accept you just yet. But that baby is my flesh and blood, and I won't turn it away," he said quietly.

Francine nodded as her phone rang. She was needed at home, and she told the Read's goodbye.

When she was gone, Arthur's father asked for the details. Arthur told him everything, including Francine's experiences with Nate. Arthur didn't notice that his father had gone pale, and when their conversation was over, he didn't hear his father slam a mixing bowl onto the concrete floor of the garage. Arthur didn't hear the phone call either, the one to Emily's mother, or the other to the family's lawyer. Arthur was oblivious, staring at the television wishing this day had never come.

Muffy's parents sat down in one of the many sitting rooms inside the mansion. Both sets of lawyers were there, and a reporter sat with them as well. Her job was to document the arrangements the family would make concerning the custody of their daughter.

"I'll be home weekends. I want to take her to the opera, go to the baseball games, maybe even head to Crown City for some shopping," her father smiled.

"What about when I want to take her shopping? She's starting tennis and dance when she goes to school, just like she would have at…that other place," her mother said sternly, trying her best to sound as emotional as possible.

"I can still go shopping with you on the weekends if he goes out of town, or if we plan ahead of time. But I get the final decision: If I still want to be with Daddy, then I still get to be with Daddy. And if I don't want him to come, I'll be the one to say so," Muffy said sternly.

"I think that idea," one of the lawyers said.

"Shut up, Steve! I thought you were on my side," her mother spat.

"I am, Madam, but this has gone on long enough. I know you both pay us all very well, but there are other cases, and…"

"Other cases?! What about us?! You're supposed to be helping to keep my family together!"

"That's my job now, Mom, and I'll do it well," Muffy smiled. "For my birthday and Christmas, I want to be able to see you both. Mom, you'll have mornings; Daddy, you can have me at night. And for Thanksgiving, I want to spend it with the grandparents of my choosing. I'll try to alternate, and whichever set I choose will decide which parent attends."

"That sounds like a good idea, sweetie. You've put a lot of thought into this," her father smiled.

"I have, Daddy. I just want things to feel normal again, and I have a list of the best ways to allow that," Muffy said, holding up her notebook.

"Well I support her decisions as well," her mother said childishly, turning towards the window. "I don't want to hear anymore. Whatever Muffy has documented will be the final word."

"I agree," Muffy's father said happily.

His phone buzzed a moment later, and he left the room. Her mother left a few minutes later, escorted by her lawyers.

Muffy looked out the window, waiting on the court reporter to finish. She was staring at the blue sky when she saw a plane fly over the city.

It was Sue Ellen's flight to Sweden. Her dreams were being realized while Muffy sat home alone, her parents silently fighting outside the door. She sighed heavily: Sue Ellen would also have friends to talk to about her adventures, while Muffy had no one. As soon as she told her "new friends" about her decision to stay home, they ended their online friendship and blocked Muffy from messaging them. For the first time in years, Muffy's phone was silent.

Sue Ellen looked out the window as Elwood City faded behind her. She'd written a lengthy letter to Fern, who wasn't allowing visitors. Sue Ellen needed to go to Sweden to fulfill her duty as an exchange student, and she had to leave her beloved home town behind to do so. She cared about the place she'd learned to call home, and she cared about the people she was leaving behind.

As the plane turned, she was able to pick out the Crosswire mansion below her. She sighed heavily as she thought of Muffy, the goody-two-shoes diva who had ruined the career of her favorite teacher of all time. He had taught her many things, but he'd never laid a finger on her.

The only one who ever had was Nate, and she gave him some defense moves and he backed off. It wasn't hard to fight off advances, and she knew the signs.

"Madam, may I see that magazine?" her seatmate asked in a thick European accent.

"Yes," she nodded, passing it to him.

She realized it was a teen magazine, and she eyed him carefully as the land below them turned to the Atlantic Ocean.

'It isn't hard,' she thought to herself. 'Nothing is too hard if you just put your mind to it.'

As she watched the digital map at the front of the plane, she noticed that they were completely away from the land part of the US. Within a few minutes, they would be over international waters, and within a few hours, they would be over Europe.

Sue Ellen had anticipated this day for years, but she suddenly felt nervous. She wasn't ready, she felt, and her body seemed to break out in a thick sweat.

"Are you okay?" her seatmate asked. Sue Ellen realized she had crumpled over in her seat, and the man was putting his hand on her forehead. She tried to push him away, but she felt too weak. "She's burning up! Is there a doctor on this flight?!" the man called loudly, frantically.

Sue Ellen felt the world fade as flight attendants scrambled. The only thing she noticed was the digital map, showing the plane make a large circle and head back towards land. Then the world went black.

Binky and Mei-Lin stepped into the library quietly. They'd been skipping before, singing a Chinese song they'd learned from television. But they knew how to be quiet inside, and they calmly walked to the foreign language section.

Thanks to the many new cultures in the area, there was an entire section in the new library for foreign language books, including an entire shelf of Chinese books. Most were beyond Mei-Lin's comprehension, but her understanding of the language made her the best translator, and Binky could read her translations and explain the book to her when it became too complicated.

As they picked a title to read, Binky noticed a group walking past. Within the group was Arthur's mother and two sisters, as well as DW's friend, Emily, and her mother. A few other women were in the group as well, and a few well-dressed men followed behind them.

A gap in the shelves allowed Binky to see them walk into the private conference room and shut the door. Binky immediately grew suspicious: Those well-dressed men were lawyers, and the younger girls all looked nervous, while the adults looked grave and serious.

"Let's go read over there," Binky said, leading Mei-Lin to a seating area nearby. She had brought an easier book to return, and they carried it with them. Mei-Lin started reading while Binky pretended to. His focus was on the conference room, which wasn't properly soundproofed. He could hear every word, and he immediately went pale.

"Nate Johnson has been targeting girls in the area for years, at least a decade or more. There are about fifteen girls under my care that are now pregnant because of what he taught them, and many more girls are traumatized from his actions," the doctor said. Arthur's mother nodded, squeezing DW gently.

"Can we get them all together?" Emily's mother asked. "He needs to go to prison for what he's done."

"Getting them to testify will be the problem, and then there are the character witnesses," the lawyer said. "Nate is the poster-child for the county's vasectomy program, and plenty of people support him not only for his decision, but his good deeds around the area. And the girls he targeted fall in love with him because of what he says. He woos them in before he tries anything, and aside from the pregnant ones, few are angry enough to come forward. Many of them…allowed him."

"How could they?" Emily murmured, tears streaming down her face.

"He roped them in," Arthur's mother said fiercely. "He convinced them it was okay because they were in love. It's never okay if you don't want to, but some girls are too young to know that."

"You're right. Most are unaware about the ways of life when it happens, and they can't defend themselves because they don't know what's happening. That will be another problem: The children know what happened to them, but they didn't learn of the terminology until later. When they tell their story, this will be apparent to the jury. Add in those character witnesses, and we're looking at a sixty-forty shot, and we're on the losing end," the lawyer explained.

"What else do we need? There has to be something," Emily's mother begged. The doctor cleared his throat.

"Nate received his vasectomy at age twenty-three. He probably got into some trouble before then, and if we can find a private investigator and come up with the money to pay them, we might be able to get enough evidence," he replied. "The only reason I say a private detective is the precedence of this case. Elwood City has had four rapists in its history, all of them from out of town. Nate is different, a homegrown child predator. The police might mess up, so we need to do the dirty work for them."

"And if they still mess up?" DW asked.

"We'll have grounds for a solid appeal if we do the work ourselves," the lawyer replied, looking to the adults. "And if we get enough time, we can talk through to some of these people. We'll start with the older ones, the ones who won't be able to testify unless they have children because of him. They can help us talk to the others."

"How much time do we need?" Emily's mother whispered. The men exchanged glances.

"December. We'll have enough to file the charges then. Until then, you need to stay safe, and don't let your children near him no matter what he says. Is this clear?" the lawyer asked sternly.

Everyone nodded solemnly, and after giving out his card, the group disbursed.

No one noticed Binky and Mei-Lin as they left. They were too preoccupied with their own problems to even care.

Buster and his mother returned to Elwood City with the help of family. An apartment was purchased, and the family could finally be together again. As much as Buster hated to admit it, he did miss his mother, and he did worry about her safety.

But Buster wouldn't have to worry about her ex anymore, and he focused on settling into Elwood City again, as well as maintaining his friendships with the boys he met at his uncle's farm. It was more work than he thought it'd be, but it was quite fun, and he was soon in trouble for spending too much time online and not enough time doing chores.

Summer was ending quickly, though, and Buster wanted to spend as much time as he could doing what he wanted. He'd spent most of the time in a hotel room, and he wondered if his mom even realized that.

But both of them were distracted, especially with the case building. They were back in the town where it all happened, but things were just too different now. They were nervous around each other, and both of them were spending too much time at home.

They needed to get out, but neither could convince themselves to do it. They settled for old VHS tapes and microwaved popcorn at night; during the day they played board games and unpacked. Little by little they would restart their lives, but they'd do it inside and away from harm.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It had been a week since George's death, and the school he would have gone to was opening its doors for the first time. Students were entering the school with their parents, registering for classes and securing lockers and parking places.

But everyone was also sizing each other up. Arthur and Francine entered the school together with Arthur's parents, her current guardians. No one knew that, however, and others, like Muffy, just thought they were spending every moment together, just like they did in middle school. And Arthur and Francine were just as shocked to see Muffy there with Bailey and her mother. They knew about her spot in the famous academy, and they expected not to see her there, yet there she stood, securing her classes while her mother signed paperwork.

At another table, a recovering Sue Ellen was filling out paperwork while other stared at her. Brain and his parents seemed to be the only ones who knew about her situation, mainly because of the fragmentation of the once unified class.

The only thing they all seemed to know about, other than George's death, was Fern's hospitalization for mental instability. Her novel was posted online shortly after she emailed it to Brain and Sue Ellen, and it had gotten around the school like wildfire. Her being locked away merely added to the story, and as students mingled during registration, they wondered if she really committed any of the murders her book mentioned.

The only two students who weren't at registration with their peers were Binky and Buster. Binky was registering at his local middle school, and Buster was enrolling in a small school a mile from his grandmother's home. Things just weren't working out with his mother, and they decided it would be best for Buster to live with his grandmother until the trial was completed. Though both Buster and Binky were unhappy with their situation, they had no choice but to follow along. None of them did, and as they completed their paperwork and went home with schedules in-hand, they knew they were all just along for the ride.

The only unified group was the former preschoolers: DW and Emily would share a homeroom with the Tibble twins, James, and all of the others they'd known since they were four years old. All of them were friends, all of them were happy, and all of them were following in the footsteps of their older siblings. Mr. Ratburn, their teacher, would do to them exactly what he'd done before and load them down with homework. In fact, a summer reading list had been shipped out months before. It was shorter than the high school one, but it was still as dense for the upcoming third graders.

Aside from the drama outside of class, these students were eager to learn, and eager to get back into the classroom. Their older siblings didn't share this joy. That had died the year they left Ratburn's care, the year when everything fell apart.

A/N: I know this part is short, but we're about to finally get into their school year! What classes will they have? Who's going to hook up? Who's going to break up? Who knows?!

I'm mainly going to cover the "out of class" scenes, so don't worry about getting bored. The fun is just starting^^


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Muffy left school early, heading towards a strip mall in the back of her family's limo. Her father had sent her a credit card, fully loaded, and told her to buy whatever she wanted. Money was no option, he said, but Muffy knew the truth: He had been stuck at work during their visitation days, and he was trying to make it up to her.

As they passed the local middle school, Muffy noticed Binky walking towards home. Muffy asked Baily to stop. As they did, Binky stopped and looked up.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd gone off to boarding school," Binky said. Muffy shook her head with a slight smile.

"Things never seem to work out as we'd hope. I noticed you weren't in school. I see they made you stay back," she whispered, eying his middle school handbook on the top of his things. He nodded nervously, looking away. "You know, Binky, you're the only one who seems willing to talk to me. Would you like to join me this afternoon? I could really use the company."

Binky ran through a list of obligations he had at home. His sister wanted him to help her with her worksheets from school, and his father wanted him to mow the grass. All of that could be done after dinner, and Binky slipped into the back seat of the limo.

"Why does no one talk to you anymore? I thought you were online quite a bit," Binky murmured as he pushed his items into a space near him. Muffy helped before sighing.

"Well, I had to turn down my position at the boarding school because of my parents and their problems. The friends I was going to meet there blocked me from the websites I'm on, and no one around here likes me anymore," she replied softly, looking up to him. "We've all changed so much, Binky, but…sometimes I wonder if I'm still the same. I don't regret some of the things I'm hated for. I was just being myself, even if no one realizes it."

"I'm trying to change too, but it's not working," Binky muttered. He looked towards the floorboards as he remembered his first morning class. Someone threw a paper ball at him, and he snapped, getting his first detention before the school announcements had even come on.

"We should help each other," Muffy smiled, taking his hand in hers. "I need to learn how to be nicer too, but I can't do that alone. And I can help tutor you. Maybe you can go into ninth grade next semester, if I use Daddy's connections."

"They'd really help me out?"

"I don't have to tell them what I'm doing with you. You're right: They don't approve. But Binky?" she asked, looking into his eyes. He nodded, fighting the urge to blush. "I approve of you, and I always have."

Binky was speechless as the limo stopped.

"We're here, Miss Muffy. Shall I give you time alone with your companion?" Baily asked through the car's speaker system.

"Let's go inside," Muffy smiled, telling Baily her intentions before sliding out of the limo. Binky followed, eager to join her. He had a dumbfounded smile plastered on his face, and he wondered where things would go from here.

Arthur sighed heavily as he looked over his homework. Between geometry, biology, and his English class, he was already feeling the weight of a heavy homework load.

Francine didn't seem to notice hers. She had other problems, such as the angry letter her sister had sent to the Read household. She was ashamed of her sister, and she wanted to kill her—hopefully not literally—for abusing the family name. "There are ways of being responsible, little sister, and you should learn all of them before you go off fucking innocent boys," read one line, one of many that stung like lightening.

But Francine could take nothing back now. She smiled as she entered Arthur's room with a plate of cookies and two bottles of soda.

"You should eat healthier than that," Arthur said, showing her his biology book. She scoffed, sitting on the floor beside him.

"I'm already taking those damn vitamins, Arthur. A few hundred calories of chocolate and sugar won't kill it that easily," Francine said sternly, smirking as she reached up to his crotch.

"What are you doing?" Arthur hissed sternly, leaning back.

"There's no reason why you should suffer. Let me give you some head, baby. It'll make you feel great," she smiled.

"Francine, I'm done with sex," Arthur said sternly, standing and moving to the other side of the room.

"What are you saying, Arthur? I heard a hint of something," Francine asked angrily.

"Nothing," Arthur muttered. Francine stood quickly and dashed towards him. Arthur dodged her, and they took their positions on opposite sides of the room.

"You're lying, Arthur Read! What are you thinking?" she asked loudly.

"I'm done, is what I'm thinking!" Arthur hissed.

Suddenly, a pair of faces came into the doorway. Both DW and Kate were standing there, staring at the both of them.

"Why are you two fighting? You're drowning out the Mary Moo Cow reruns," DW whispered with a frightened tone.

"Don't worry about it. Go back downstairs," Arthur said sternly. The girls obeyed, and Arthur looked back to Francine. "I'm done," he said quietly.

"So, you knock me up, and now you want out? Great, just great! We're stuck together for life, Arthur! _For life!_ When this baby comes, you'll have to step up no matter what, and I will make you be a part of this baby's life," Francine glared.

"I don't mind doing that, Francine, but this sex stuff…this couple stuff, it has to stop. I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore. You're too…horny."

"And you're not?"

"Fine, we both are! But I wouldn't have so many problems if you hadn't come along!"

"What are you saying? That you regret me?"

"Yes, I do regret you!" Arthur yelled.

"MOM! ARTHUR AND FRANCINE WON'T QUIT SCREAMING!" DW and Kate yelled together.

"HOW ABOUT WE ALL BE QUIET?! I'M SICK OF THIS!" his mother screamed back, slamming something in emphasis.

"I'm going for a walk. And don't follow me!" Arthur hissed.

"I didn't plan to," Francine scoffed, sitting on his bed and watching him leave. "Stupid Arthur. You'll regret saying those things. You'll regret more than just me…stupid boys," Francine muttered, lying back on the bed.

She sighed as she felt the outline of her pad. She'd started her period that afternoon, right after gym class. She thought you weren't supposed to have your period while you were pregnant, but she didn't want to tell anyone about it. Apparently everything was her problem, since it was all her fault.

She sighed again before curling up into a pillow and beginning to cry.

Arthur looked at the crowd at the playground. The wave of new people in Elwood City had bombarded the city with unknown faces, and the only person he recognized was Jenna, his former classmate. She sat beneath a large oak tree reading a novel. But as Arthur moved closer, he realized it was a Japanese graphic novel.

"What are you reading?" Arthur asked, sitting beside her.

"'1/2 Prince'," she replied with a smile. "Prince is so dreamy, don't you think?"

"I don't really judge guys," Arthur whispered.

"Oh, he's not really a guy. uShe's/u a guy in Second Life, a game within the manga, but she's really a girl. Look, here's her picture."

"She's pretty," Arthur nodded, eying the picture of Prince. "Why are his ears pointy?"

"He's an elf. Don't you know anything about characters, Arthur?" Jenna giggled. Arthur shook his head with a soft smile. "Well, it's okay. It took me a while to get into manga, but now I'm addicted. The library at school has quite a few series. You should check some out when you get the time."

"That's the thing: I don't have the time anymore," Arthur groaned.

"I don't mind listening," Jenna said, putting down her book.

Arthur smiled slightly, remembering her kind nature. She was even upset with winning once because she knew Francine wanted the title more. Jenna was just a charitable person, and Arthur didn't mind telling her everything.

"I knew about you and Francine dating, but I didn't know that. She needs to have your support, Arthur," Jenna whispered. Arthur sighed, nodding.

"I know I need to support her, but…she still wants sex. After all we've been through, she still wants the one thing that got us in trouble in the first place. It's…disgusting."

"You're both young, Arthur. Sex is natural. Even a relatively calm manga like '1/2 Prince' has sexual themes. And the thoughts are natural too. Besides, she's already pregnant, Arthur. It's not like it can happen again."

"I know, but…we went too fast, and…we've already broken up," Arthur sighed. "But she lives with us now, so it's hard."

"All relationships are, Arthur, but…you'll work everything out. Relationships should be carefree and spontaneous, and if they die, you just have to find a way to rekindle them."

"How do you know so much about relationships?" Arthur asked.

"I read a lot, and people tell me things. I never repeat facts, but I do remember anecdotes. And…I've had some friendzone relationships."

"Friendzone? What's that?"

"When two people who could be partners become just friends. Usually one person or the other has feelings for the other, but sometimes they both have feelings. I've heard of those, but…there is one person in particular that I'm not sure about. We're really good friends online, but I'm afraid to ask him."

"You shouldn't be afraid. You have a lot of experience," Arthur smiled, happy to be able to try to help Jenna.

"Well, I really don't," she sighed. "And I'd hate to mess up our relationship by asking him when he doesn't want to be a couple. We've been friends a few years now, though lately we've been talking more than usual."

"Has he asked you?" Arthur asked. She shook her head sternly.

"I think he may've dropped hints, some of those Freudian slip type things where you say your secret thoughts by accident, or by talking about others, but I could be making that up to fit my own needs. What should I do, Arthur?"

"Well, does he have any experience?"

"No, only some failed almost-relationships like me."

"Then you should offer to learn about relationships together. And if he says no, then so be it. But you never know until you try, and I think you should try."

"I think I should too, but…I'm so afraid, Arthur," Jenna whispered, tucking herself into a smaller position.

"It's nerve-racking, but you should go for it. And tell me what happens when you do ask," Arthur said, digging for a scrap piece of paper in his pocket. Jenna pulled her purse from behind her and gave him the supplies. He wrote his email on the paper and handed the things back to her. "And thanks for helping me out," Arthur said as he stood.

Jenna nodded in response and watched him leave. Jenna sighed heavily as she eyed the time on her cell phone. It'd be time to talk to him soon, and she needed to get ready. Butterflies were in her stomach as she slowly walked home, and she wondered what would happen if he said yes.

Brain eyed his homework and extra work cautiously. It was all completed, but Sue Ellen's latte was sitting precariously close. Sue Ellen took a sip and noticed his stare. She placed it on a table beside his bed before readjusting her position.

"So, have you read Fern's latest letter?" Sue Ellen asked, handing him the envelope. Brain accepted it, reading it carefully. It'd been a few days since she decided to start making contact with her friends again, namely Brain and Sue Ellen.

The letter was short, but it had everything it needed. And Fern's writing tone was still intact, despite the various antipsychotic medications she was on.

"When do you think she'll get out?" Brain asked. Sue Ellen shrugged, eying Brain's homework.

"I'm sure she isn't missing that," she grinned. "I wish I could handle all of that work without going crazy. I'd love to graduate early and go to college overseas. I won't be as nervous when I've grown up some, at least I hope so."

"I'm glad you're feeling better. Your mother said it was really scary seeing you so ill, and having you be evacuated from the airport and put under quarantine."

"Yeah, it was pretty scary," Sue Ellen grinned. "But I'm okay now."

"Are you upset that you couldn't go to Sweden?" Brain asked. Sue Ellen shrugged, taking another sip of her latte.

"I think it worked out for the best. So much is going on here, and I like being a part of it rather than getting the highlights later. Besides, who says their schools are any better? I'll be fine here in Elwood City, at least for now. I might try to go my junior or senior year like normal exchange students do."

"You should house one to get some experience. My mother thought of doing it, but our spare bedroom has to be open in a few months for family. There are still people needing a sponsor, and you get paid to house them," Brain explained. Sue Ellen nodded as Brain moved his chair to his computer desk. He pulled up the website, showing her the three students who needed sponsors that were going to their school.

"Email me the link. I'll go ask Mom about it when I get home for dinner," Sue Ellen said, eying the clock.

Brain did everything as Sue Ellen gathered her things. She patted him on the back to say goodbye and closed the door behind her.

Brain sighed as he sat there alone. He wanted to be more like Sue Ellen and his other peers, but he was simply too focused. He had too many long term dreams to sit around thinking about foreign countries.

He wheeled back to his work desk and began working ahead in his books. It would give him more free time later, and he needed that to help Sue Ellen and Fern with their problems.

Buster looked at the overgrown yard before him. After leaving the easiest and most boring school in the world, he was asked by his grandmother to tackle "The Wild Pasture," a pasture that had been overgrown since his grandfather died years ago. She needed it to be clean for an event she was planning, and he was just the boy who could get it done.

As he used a scythe to clear the debris, some boys from his uncle's farm came over the fence. Buster waved to them, realizing they were not only his friends from the summer, but his new classmates.

"How are you, Baxter?" the tallest said. His name was Frank, and his favorite band, The Invasion, was also Buster's favorite band.

"What's up?" the shorter said. His name was Jacob, and his favorite online game, The UFO Squad, was Buster's favorite game.

Buster waved to them both as he continued to work. They smiled and groaned in sympathy before picking up some of Buster's tools and starting to help.

"Why are you doing that?" Buster asked, stopping.

"You'd do the same for us, buddy. Your uncle is done with us for today, and it's not like we can hang out until you're done," Frank said.

"Yeah, we have to play UFO-S tonight!" Jacob exclaimed, chopping through a thick sapling.

Soon the boys were working in synch, and by the time his grandmother called him inside for dinner, and entire corner of the lot was clean.

"We're heading home too. See you online," Frank waved. They headed back from where they came from as Buster walked to the house.

'I finally have best friends again,' Buster thought, remembering all the times he used to help Arthur, Francine, or whoever else with their chores so they could play longer. He smiled at the memories as he entered the house. All of those people had forgotten him now, he knew, but now he had replacements, and he liked them better.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Jenna answered the call when it came up on her screen. She smiled to Ryan, and he smiled back.

"Why do you seem so happy today?" he asked, leaning forward. Jenna shrugged, leaning back in her seat. "Well then, how are you in general?"

"I'm fine; and you?" she asked. He grinned, reaching down for something. When he returned, he had a new volume of manga, one of Jenna's favorite series. "Where did you get that?!"

"My local library purchased the series, and this was the only volume I hadn't read yet. Do you want me to translate it for you?"

"No, I want to try myself," Jenna replied. Ryan was from Germany, so the mangas he found were all in German. "Does it seem good so far?"

"I don't know; I was going to read it with you," he said quietly. "But I'll be done in a few days, and I'll mail it to you…unless I come to Elwood City myself."

"What?"

"I qualified for the exchange student program, and someone in your town has agreed to take me in. I leave next week, and…it'll be the first time we'll meet in person. Isn't that cool?"

"Of course, but I'm a little surprised is all," Jenna said quietly. "Who is going to be your host family?"

"A…let me check the email again," he said, doing something on his computer screen. He then looked back to the webcam. "All it has is the student's name. Do you know a Sue Ellen?"

"We went to elementary school together," Jenna replied, looking down.

"What is it? Is there something wrong with her? Maybe some freakish birth defect that will scar me for life?" he smiled. Jenna didn't look up. "What is it? Tell me," he said quietly, hoping the news wouldn't be too bad.

"Well I think it was just a rumor, and she hasn't had a boyfriend since…. But back in elementary school, they said she had a relationship with a teacher."

"Elementary school? No one has those kinds of relationships in elementary school, unless they were taken advantage of. Did he take advantage of her?"

"I don't know. I shouldn't have said anything; I'm sorry."

"Okay, information deleted," he grinned, leaning back in his chair. "So what else do you know about her? Anything interesting?"

"Her family used to travel the world a lot, so she knows a lot about other cultures. She knows quite a few languages too, so she might know German. Her parents are the same way," Jenna replied.

"What about Japanese culture? You know that was my first pick, no offense to your country or city."

"I don't know. It's been so long, and no one really talks anymore. We all hear rumors about each other, but ever since we left third and fourth grade, we haven't been friends. It started with…that little incident, and things just went from there. It's a little sad, actually. I used to at least be invited to have sleep overs with people, but in middle school, I was never invited to anything."

"That happens to people over time."

"You don't understand. We all used to be so close, yet now…it's like we all hate each other. It's depressing, considering one of classmates just passed away and another one is pregnant, and others aren't here at all this year…."

"Sounds like I'll get some good characters to add to my novel then," Ryan grinned. Jenna gasped and looked up.

"And one of our classmates, a writer, wrote a horrendous novel filled with murder and gore. She was committed after trying to kill her mother, and she's still in the hospital," Jenna exclaimed. Ryan sat back, a shocked look on his face.

"I've never gone that far. But…things will get better. Maybe we can bring them all together again, like a modern day super hero," he smiled.

"That'd be fun," Jenna grinned, eying the clock. In a few more minutes, they'd have to get off the computer, and she still hadn't talked to him about her feelings.

"Jenna? Hey, what was that about? You didn't hear a thing I said," he chuckled. Jenna smiled.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about some things. What did you say?"

"We'll have to spend time together while I'm there. Maybe we'll even have a few classes together. It'll be fun."

"I can't wait," Jenna smiled. "I'll try to meet you at the airport too, if that's alright."

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be alright?"

"I just don't know how these things work," Jenna replied as a knock sounded at her door.

"Hey, Ryan. Jenna, it's time for bed," Jenna's mother said quietly. Jenna nodded, looking back to Ryan as the door closed.

"Well, I guess it's goodbye for now. We didn't get to talk much, but I guess since school's back in session…," he murmured, letting himself trail off.

"Good night," she smiled. She let him respond before exiting out of the call.

She sighed heavily and put her head in her hands. She was angry at herself for not saying anything, but she was even more angry that she was letting her feelings get in the way of enjoying their conversations.

She quickly climbed into bed and shut off her lamp. She stared blankly into the darkness, playing out scenarios in her head. She would meet him soon, she realized, and she felt herself flush.

"I'll tell him at the airport," she whispered to herself. "That'd be so romantic!" she grinned, rolling over onto her back.

After a few minutes, she sighed heavily and shook her head.

"I can't ruin it," she whispered. "I'll just keep suffering to save the friendship."

A few minutes later, she turned onto her side again and slowly went to sleep.

Arthur and Francine hadn't spoken for two days. Arthur's parents were quiet as well, and the only sounds came from DW and Kate when they were playing or talking to their imaginary friends. The Read household was at a stalemate, and the whole group of them seemed too stressed for words.

On the third morning, the house was awakened before dawn to the doorbell ringing. Arthur's father answered it to see Katherine standing at his door. He allowed her into the den, where she sat down with a heavy sigh.

"I had to come talk to Francine. I wrote a pretty mean letter to her, and I just…this is just so much for my family," Katherine sighed.

"We feel the same way. And they've stopped speaking each other. It's all too much," Arthur's father sighed, scratching the stubble on his face.

"My parents had no right to kick her out, but Francine needs to learn from this. I guess I will thank you on their behalf for taking her in, though I don't blame you if you end up kicking her to the curb. I found some of their online chats, and…she's a bonafide slut, Mr. Read, and I wish she and Arthur had never met."

"I wouldn't go that far, but I am disappointed in both of them, and I'm glad we were in the position to take her in. She is carrying our grandchild, and I trust we can help raise them together."

"That's another reason why I'm here. You see, I'm married now, and I have been for a few years now. My husband and I wanted to have children right away, but it seems I can't. I was tested, and it appears I have a rare genetic condition that limits the number of eggs my body can produce. Francine likely has it as well, making conception unlikely."

"Well, we've seen her test results. She is pregnant," Arthur's father said sternly. Katherine nodded quietly.

"I understand that, Sir, but I think she should be tested again, just in case."

"I won't put her through that," Arthur's father said sternly.

Suddenly, a cry came from upstairs.

"That was Francine," Katherine gasped.

The two of them ran upstairs to see Francine crumpled in front of the bathroom door. Blood was seeping out of her pajama bottoms and onto the floor, and the house was instantly in a frenzy to gather her up and take her to the hospital. Katherine was leading the way, offering to drive because she had a large SUV. The entire family piled inside, and they headed for the nearest hospital as fast as they could.

"Binky, I did not know you had such good fashion sense. The blouse you helped me pick out went perfectly with my skirt, one you'd never even seen before. How did you get so good at it?" Muffy asked. She was in her closet, admiring her latest outfit. It was an hour before school, and Binky had called her to wish her a good morning with the cell phone she'd given him.

"I help Mei-Lin pick out her clothes all the time, and she's pretty picky," Binky replied. "Are you going to wear it today?"

"Of course! I'm wearing it right now, and you will get to see it this afternoon when we go to the arcade."

"Arcade? What arcade? The other one closed."

"I know that, Binky, but there's another one in Willow Hill, the newest suburb of Crown City. They're unveiling a new Wide World of Wrestling game, and I thought you'd be interested. And they have an amazing sweet shop right next door. It'll be fun," Muffy exclaimed, opening the drawer containing her purses and trying to find the perfect one.

"Actually, Mei-Lin has a recital this afternoon and I have to be here to watch her."

"What time does it start?" Muffy asked, smiling widely as she found the perfect purse.

"Five, but we're having dinner before we go."

"That is cutting it too close. Well, I'll have Baily bring us lattes on the ride home, and we'll have him cut through the long way," Muffy smiled.

"That sounds great. I can't wait to see you."

"I can't wait to see you either," Muffy sighed.

"What was the sigh for?"

"It's just that…Binky, I really like you, but our parents would never understand, mine in particular. I don't know what to do."

"We can just not tell them. Can't Baily keep a secret?"

"Oh, he's the best at keeping secrets," Muffy smiled, eying him as he brought her breakfast to her desk. "But I do hate lying to Daddy. I guess I shouldn't mind, since they did lie to each other for so many years, but it just feels wrong."

"It does, but I like you a lot too. And things just wouldn't work out before, but now they're going perfectly," Binky groaned.

"We'll talk this afternoon. But Binky? We'll make this work. I promise," Muffy smiled.

After a quick goodbye, Muffy began quickly eating her breakfast. As she did, her mother arrived with an envelope in her hand. She was going away to see her great aunt for a few weeks, and she was leaving Muffy home alone.

Muffy appeared sad, even asking when she'd be back and if she'd come home early. But she was actually quite happy: With the estate to herself, she could invite Binky over to hang out after school. They could be a couple finally, even if it was only in secret.

Fern was finally allowed to use the telephone, and she used her first call on Brain. When he didn't answer, she tried Sue Ellen's number only to find it busy. She had to call it a bust, but she knew things were looking up for her. The urge to kill had subsided, and the voices had finally been silenced. In just a few more days, she could return home and start school, and she could begin to formally write again.

Buster looked over the cleared field with a smile. It had only taken four days for the three of them to clear it, and they celebrated by playing keep-away with Buster's soccer ball. They got so into the game that Buster's grandmother had to ring a large bell to call him to the house.

Reluctantly, the boys went their separate ways. They were becoming as close as friends could be, and it only took a summer of chores and an overgrown field, as well as some down time on the internet. Buster was shocked that it was still so easy, since he and his old friends had so easily drifted apart.

The district attorney eyed the formal complaints carefully. Eighty young girls, as well as five older ones with children, were complaining about Nate Johnson, the golden child of the Elwood City vasectomy coalition, which urged young men to freeze their sperm before "snipping" themselves out of the competition.

The district attorney was a good friend of the program's director, and the seven lawyers that had taken the case on eyed him carefully as he rested the large file on his desk.

"Have you found other cases to support the validity of this one?" he asked. All seven pulled files from their briefcases and stacked them on the desk. "Well then…. I hate to do this to Barbara, but…I'm sending in a warrant for his arrest. I think we have the grounds to charge him, and if the judges of Elwood City know what's good for them, they'll make sure he's ruled guilty."

"That will be our job, Sir, but yes, we all agree," the leading lawyer said.

The seven shook hands with the district attorney before leaving the room. When they were gone, the district attorney picked up his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. After a few moments, the other party answered.

"Yeah Dad?"

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, Nate, so you better start talking."

Nate stammered before slamming down the phone. He grabbed his emergency bag and ran outside. He knew this day was coming, and he knew exactly where he was going to go.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"I wish I could get quit watching the news," Arthur's mother whispered. Arthur's father nodded, sighing heavily.

They'd been sitting in the waiting room for hours, unable to do anything. Katherine had been calling her family for hours, trying to get them to come down, but they had refused thus far. Currently, she was behind the scenes with the doctors, hearing their prognosis and figuring out what happened to her sister.

The Read family was curled up in the waiting room, with the adults in hard chairs while the children—including Arthur—were scattered on the floor. The girls were flipping through educational magazines, but Arthur was staring at the floor, unable to process anything. He felt that all of this was his fault, and he desperately wanted to know what was going on with Francine.

"Ugh, could someone please turn this off?!" Arthur's mother groaned. The early morning news show was being interrupted by their local channel: Nate Johnson was on the run after a warrant had been issued, and the district attorney—his father—was missing as well.

"Sorry, the channel doesn't change," another patron said, pointing to the locked cage surrounding the television, covering all except the power buttons. "If it helps, this case makes me sick. It broke last night at eleven, and it's exploded."

"They didn't call us," Arthur's father whispered.

"I can see that," his wife whispered back, looking up to the other patron. "How many counts is he being charged with?"

"Oh, hundreds!" the patron exclaimed. "Not only are they hitting him hard with the little girls, the older ones that had children because of him are being allowed to press charges on previous counts. It's unprecedented, especially this. The district attorney was on television last night condemning his behavior, and now this. I had no idea they were related."

"Neither did we," Arthur's father said. He then turned to his family. "Let's go for a walk. Katherine has our cell number, and if I see one more minute of this, I'll take someone out," he muttered under his breath.

As the family stood, Katherine entered the room. The family immediately sat back down, except for Arthur, who remained standing in a shocked state.

"Sit down, Arthur," Katherine whispered, helping him into a chair. Arthur obeyed, and Katherine turned to the rest of the group. "They said she miscarried a few days ago, but she didn't realize. She's been bleeding ever since, and…now there's an infection. She'll be okay, but it's going to be a while."

"Is your family coming?" Arthur's mother asked. Katherine sighed before shaking her head. "What should we do then?"

"All we can do is wait. I'll keep working on my parents, but…I think what they've done so far is going to be how things stay," Katherine replied.

The group nodded, letting out a collective sigh. After a long enough moment of silence, Arthur's parents stood up again.

"It won't do us any good to sit here starving. Let's go out for breakfast, then I'll take you girls to school," Arthur's father said. The group stood and left together, except for Arthur and Katherine. They would stay behind and wait, hopefully for good news.

"This will be Ryan's room. He'll be the closest to the bathroom, and he'll have plenty of storage space for his books," Sue Ellen's mother smiled. She nodded, eying the room carefully. It used to be her art studio, as well as her practice area for anything, from her saxophone to taekwondo. "Hey, don't look so down. From what Ryan has talked about in his emails, he seems like a really fun person."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and she went downstairs to answer it. Sue Ellen sighed heavily. She wanted a female exchange student, her first sister. She already had a brother (a pen pal), and now she was possibly getting another one.

"Sue Ellen, there's a classmate of yours here to see you," her mother called. Sue Ellen looked up to see Jenna, and she gave her a perplexed look. "I have to finish cleaning. You two go into your room and talk, Sue Ellen."

Once she was down the stairs, Sue Ellen invited Jenna into her room. The two sank into Sue Ellen's oversized beanbag chairs, which were crammed in the corner thanks to the items she now had to store in there.

"Why are you here?" Sue Ellen asked.

"I'm good friends with Ryan, and…he wanted me to help you get to know him," she replied, pulling out a laptop.

"We don't have wireless internet here," Sue Ellen said quickly. Jenna shook her head with a smile, holding an object in her hand.

"My parents have one of those wireless hotspot things. I'm only supposed to use it for emergencies, and this counts. Ryan has been given the rest of the week off from school to prepare, and today is the only day he can talk," Jenna replied, typing quickly. A beep sounded, and a light came on. "Hi, Ryan," Jenna smiled, turning the laptop towards Sue Ellen. "This is the girl you'll be staying with."

"Hello, Sue Ellen. I'm Ryan," Ryan smiled, waving.

"Hi! Wow, what time is it there?" Sue Ellen asked, seeing the lights from his hometown through his window. Ryan chuckled, eying his clock.

"It's only a little after eight, but with the seasons changing, the days have gotten a little shorter," he smiled. "Jenna and I end up talking at crazy hours, but I don't mind."

"How long have you two known each other?" Sue Ellen asked.

"A couple of years, I guess," Jenna replied.

"We met on a manga website. We both like 'Fullmetal Alchemist' and other mangas, so it was an instant click. I've never met anyone as kind as her, and I can't wait to meet her in person," Ryan whispered. Jenna felt herself blush as Sue Ellen reacted.

"So that's why you asked for so many bookshelves! I like reading the Chinese ones, and I have a few series on my computer."

"We try to find the actual books as much as possible. Lately, I've only been able to secure a few new ones in German, but not so many in English. Our book store closed because of the whole ebook revolution, and it's been tough," Ryan sighed. "But Jenna still knows some good dealers. We should hit them up on the weekends, if you're both free."

"That sounds like fun!" Sue Ellen smiled.

A knock sounded, and Sue Ellen's mother came into the room with a tray of refreshments. When she noticed the laptop and the webcam conversation, she stopped and smiled. Jenna positioned the computer so she could see better, and she put down the tray to wave at Ryan.

"Well hello, Ryan! Your hair has gotten a bit longer since you took your picture for the program," she chuckled. "You can call me Mrs. Armstrong, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Armstrong. And those refreshments look delicious. I haven't seen cookies like that since I went to England a few summers ago."

"That's where I learned to make them! My husband was there on business for the summer, so Sue Ellen and I visited for a few weeks. We stayed with another diplomat's family in the countryside, and she taught me how to make proper English cookies," Sue Ellen's mom explained.

"Your husband is a diplomat? How impressive! My dad is just a factory worker, and my mom stays here to take care of my family. Jenna, I don't think I told you about all my siblings," Ryan said. Jenna nodded softly: She really didn't know much about him at all, aside from his taste in manga. "Well I have five total, three sisters and a brother. I have a little brother as well, but I consider him to be alien," Ryan laughed. The others chuckled too.

"Well I have to get back to cleaning. I want this house spotless by the time you get here. And Jenna, you feel free to come visit him any time during the proper hours," Sue Ellen's mother smiled, putting the tray near the girls before giving Ryan one final wave and leaving the room.

"She's very nice. I think I'll enjoy it there," Ryan smiled.

"I have to get over to the library, so I'll be leaving now," Jenna said. Ryan nodded, waving before closing the connection. Jenna shut her laptop before grabbing a cookie. "Sorry I couldn't stay long, but he just emailed me an hour ago."

"It's fine," Sue Ellen whispered. "You two are pretty close. Are you dating?"

"Well…no," Jenna sighed.

"Oh, so you want to date him?" Sue Ellen smiled. "I think you'd be well together."

"Same here, but…I don't want to bombard him with it. I'll wait, and maybe he'll ask me first."

"You can't wait around forever though. I haven't dated anyone thanks to Muffy's antics, but I'd really like to. And whenever I have a crush, I try to tell them. It doesn't really work out though," Sue Ellen whispered.

"A lot of people tell me about things like that, and I always tell them to be friends first, then try for a relationship. Most people get scared off when you randomly come onto them, and boys are more likely to run than girls."

"How do you know so much? I thought you hadn't dated either," Sue Ellen asked as Jenna packed away her laptop.

"I read a lot, and people trust me enough to tell me things. That's the most common thing I hear, as well as the friendzone relationships. I never thought it would happen to me, but now that it has…it stinks, but I'll live," Jenna smiled.

"I wish I had your confidence, Jenna," Sue Ellen sighed, standing with her.

After packing a few cookies into a napkin, Sue Ellen led Jenna downstairs. As Jenna walked away, Sue Ellen smiled. It'd been years since she'd had a female best friend, and with Ryan's help, she might be able to get that part of her life back. She looked forward to it, and she hoped for the best.

Binky looked over the vast estate nostalgically. It'd been years since him and the gang gathered in their computer room for Virtual Goose, or hung around the pool for a day of fun on a hot, summer day. It'd been years since he even hung out with his friends, let alone went to their houses.

"The game room is over here. I thought you could show me how to play pool," Muffy smiled, taking his hand and leading him into the room.

Five professional-sized pool tables filled the room, and cabinets hid the second tops that turned them into poker tables. Binky was in awe, and he took in the room with a goofy smile on his face.

"This used to be Daddy's office, but Mother had it changed after girlfriend number four came forward," Muffy explained, tossing him a stick. "I'll let you set up the balls and…crack them?"

"It's 'break', but I don't mind," he said, setting them up. Muffy stood nearby and watched as Binky carefully chalked his stick and aimed carefully. One eye was closed, and his tongue hung out a little in determination. Suddenly, he hit the cue ball, sending it flying into the others. Muffy closed her eyes from the sound, and when she opened them, half of the balls were resting in the pockets.

"You're really good at this," Muffy gasped.

"I know. I won a tournament a few years ago, and I participated in a trick shot contest the next year. I didn't win that one, but they didn't have regulation tables. These are perfect!" Binky exclaimed, lining up to shoot again.

"I'll just watch you play a few rounds. This is so entertaining!" Muffy exclaimed, sitting on a nearby table. Binky shrugged and hit the cue ball against the side of the table. It bounced off two more sides before nudging two balls into a corner pocket. Muffy clapped and cheered, making Binky smirk and blush. No one had ever cheered him on before.

Within a few minutes, Binky had won, and Muffy asked him to do it again. He did, but the eight-ball went into a side pocket when he broke.

"Oh well. I'll get it next time," Binky sighed, chalking his stick before racking the balls again.

"Let's have a snack first. Baily can make us smoothies, or you can have a root beer float," Muffy suggested. Binky nodded, following her into the vast kitchen. Baily was working with a chef, but he immediately stopped to make them their drinks. The two then sat in a nearby sunroom to drink.

"Muffy, can I talk to you about something?" Binky asked after a few sips. Muffy nodded, facing him with patient eyes. Binky smiled slightly before taking another sip. When he had swallowed it, he continued. "I really like you, and—"

"Say no more, Binky Barnes," Muffy winked, moving towards him with lips puckered. At first, Binky backed away. He only wanted to ask if they were a couple, not get his first kiss. But he knew it was his one chance, so he leaned forward.

When their lips met, he smiled instinctively. Her lips were so soft, and they tasted slightly like cherries and strawberries.

"Binky, I've liked you for a long time. I hated my mother and father for breaking us apart, but…they're both too worried about themselves now. And we have the entire house to ourselves."

"What are you suggesting?" Binky asked. Muffy grinned, pulling a magazine article from her pocket. "'Sex Positions for Virgin Teens'? What is this?"

"We're virgins, and you're a male and I'm female. Let's have sex. It's not like anyone will know."

"I like you a lot, but I don't know if I could do that," Binky said quietly, handing her the article back. Muffy sighed heavily, looking sadly to the tabletop.

"I guess you just don't want me then. Go, see if I care."

"Fine, fine," Binky muttered. "But I don't have any protection."

"I know where to get some. We'll finish our drinks, then I'll show you."

Muffy was back to being happy again, and Binky could sip his float with confidence. But he was really quite worried, and he felt his stomach tie itself into a knot. He'd have to perform, and he'd have to show Muffy he loved her, even if he still wasn't sure.

Brain looked over Fern's letter carefully. She'd sent it the morning before, and it was filled with poetry and coded passages. Her medication had helped her avoid manic states, but it was clear that her mind was still clouded with illness.

As he decoded the passages using various sources, he finally realized it was a rant message. She had finally gotten phone privileges, but no one had answered when she called. This made her angry, but it also made her feel useless.

Brain knew he needed to call her, but he was also wondering if he should keep getting involved. He had done well the first time, probably saving multiple lives. But this time was different. This time she was in a safe place and couldn't hurt anyone.

But his conscious would hurt if he didn't call. So he picked up the phone and dialed the institution. He had to go through the attending doctor to speak with her, but it didn't matter. Fern was so happy to talk to him, and she was so happy to feel wanted again.

"Tear up the letter, Brain. I don't need it anymore," she said when their call ended. Brain smiled, ripping the paper to shreds. He'd done well again, but he wondered how long this would go on.

"Hello?" Buster asked. The phone had been ringing for a few times, but he didn't answer it right away. He thought his grandmother would be the one to do it, forgetting that she'd gone off to get groceries with his uncle a few minutes before.

"Hey, sweetie, it's your mother."

"Hi, Mom," Buster whispered, sinking into the chair beside the phone. "What's going on?"

"Well, the charges have finally gone through. He was ruled guilty, and they'll sentence him next week," she smiled.

"Congratulations," Buster sighed. "You're not going to ask me to come home, are you?"

"Why would I not? Things should be fine now, Buster, and I've even found a bigger apartment. Besides, your grandmother doesn't need you all the time. I thought you'd hate it there anyway."

"I have friends here, Mom."

"Well what about here in Elwood City? If you go back to school, you might find all your friends again, like Arthur and Francine, maybe even George."

"Mom, you know I'm not friends with them anymore. Besides, George passed away."

"What? When?!" she exclaimed, flipping through some old papers trying to find the notice.

"A few weeks ago, not long after the accident. They said he committed suicide."

"Who's 'they'?" she asked, still frantically searching for the notice.

"I emailed him this summer, trying to talk to him again, but he didn't answer. He was at ventriloquism camp, so I ignored it. Well, a few days later, his mother emailed me saying that George's camp leader was killed in an accident, and George saw the whole thing. The next day, I got another one saying he'd taken his own life."

"Ah, there it is," Bitzi said under her breath. "Buster, I'm really sorry. I know you and George were once close."

"We all used to be close, but not anymore. I finally have that here though, and I don't want to leave."

"Well…do what you want, Buster, but you're coming home for Christmas," she sighed. Buster looked up as his uncle and grandmother came through the door.

"I have to go help with groceries. Thanks for calling, and I'll tell them," Buster said quietly. His mother merely nodded, staying on the line well after the connection was closed. She missed her little boy, and she wanted her family back.

She finally realized she'd lost everything, from her son to her last chance at love. She sighed heavily, looking down to the notice. George's parents had chosen a poem to see him off, a poem about a lost shepherd boy who found his way home to God. She began to sob without knowing why, and she couldn't stop.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Arthur, she lost the baby. How does that make you feel?" Katherine asked after a few minutes of silence. Arthur shrugged, looking away. "It's okay to feel sad, but it's okay to be glad too. You both weren't ready for this, and her body just—"

"She's dying, isn't she?" Arthur interrupted. Katherine sighed, looking to the floor.

"Well, not anymore, but when she was bleeding at home she was. Did she tell you she was bleeding?"

"No. She didn't tell anyone. Besides, we broke up," Arthur replied, looking to her again. "And I'm glad we did."

"Arthur, she'll need you right now. She is so alone. I can't imagine what she's going through, and without Mom or Dad to help her," Katherine said sadly. She sighed quietly under her breath. "They won't come to her no matter what I say, and Francine knows this. She might be sedated and inside a room right now, but she knows what's going on. And I assume she knows you care for her, since you always have."

"I don't anymore, Katherine. I wish I never would've met her, that she never seduced me," Arthur spat, turning away from Katherine.

"Nate is the one who caused that, Arthur. He's ruined my family, myself included," Katherine said. Arthur looked up with a perplexed expression. "We both took lessons, remember? He got to me first, and I let him. He…used an object to penetrate me, scaring my vaginal walls and causing an infection. The doctors said there's a few holes there now, as well as a lot of scar tissue. Not only can I not have sex with my husband, those holes and that tissue keeps me from conceiving. I want children, but I won't be able to have them without fertility treatment and a lot of special care."

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how this pertains to me."

"I was going to adopt the baby, Arthur. I was angry before, but I was coming to my senses. That's why I stopped by: I wanted to talk to your parents about it, and I wanted your take on the matter too. Francine would've approved, if she wasn't too angry at me for the letter, and the baby would've been in the family where it belonged.

"Now that it won't happen, I'll start looking at other options. We have a rare disease too, making things even worse. She was lucky to get pregnant at all, Arthur. That child was a miracle."

"Katherine, I appreciate you telling me all this, but…I'm tired of everything. I'm done with all of these problems and people giving me dirty glances because of my whore of a girlfriend. She still wanted sex while she was pregnant. She came onto me the other day, and we fought…. And I left her, and I was glad I did."

"You're not thinking of running away, are you?"

"So what if I am, Katherine," Arthur spat. "If I have one more day like this one, I'll end up locked away like Fern or…like George."

"You won't Arthur Read! None of us will let you!" Katherine hissed sternly. "You need to talk to someone and get your thoughts together, and then you need to stand up and be a man. She may've come onto you, but you still could've told her no. You did the other day, and you can stand tall and proud now. Don't do this to her, and don't do this to your family!"

Arthur sighed, standing.

"I'm going for breakfast. I don't need this," he murmured, walking away.

Katherine watched him with a stern glance. She couldn't understand what he was going through, but she knew he was handling it the wrong way.

"This is her room, Muffy. I can't do it in someone else's bed. That's rude!" Binky said sternly. Muffy sighed, peeking her head out the doorway.

"Let's go back to the game room," she winked, leading the way by tugging on his hand.

"The game room? On the pool table?!"

"Yes, Binky, on the pool table," she grinned, leading him into the room and closing the door behind them. "I'll dim the lights while you undress. And I will too," she smirked, turning the dimmer switch and letting the lights get as close to dark as possible.

Binky watched her begin to undress, and he began himself. He was very nervous, but he wanted things to work with Muffy. Besides, he felt himself growing hard, and he knew it'd be a good experience.

"Get on the pool table," Muffy growled, approaching him. Her bra and panties were still on, but her panties had a noticeable hole in them.

"Are those sex panties?!" Binky gaped. Muffy groaned, pulling down his pants. She smiled brightly as his large cock flopped out.

"Yes, and my, my, my, you're huge!" she smiled, pushing him onto the table.

"How would you know?" Binky asked, watching her pull a condom out of her bra.

"I read, Binky," she said, opening the condom with her teeth. "And I read about this too," she said, putting it on with her mouth. She gasped when she raised up. "It won't fit, Binky! I didn't know you were so big!"

"Is it okay like that?"

"The tip is covered, but you should tell me when you're about to cum so I can get off," she smiled, kissing him. She leaned down as Binky fell back: Her lips felt amazing, and the feel of her tongue caressing his mouth made him feel like he was in heaven.

After a few minutes of making out, Muffy stopped and looked to his rigid cock. She winked as she had him sit up. She then lined it up to her and smiled as she lowered her hips.

It was a tight fit, and Muffy made a pained face. But Binky barely noticed: It felt so good that he released immediately, and he was filled with such a blissful feeling that he couldn't speak.

"I'll start pumping when I get wetter. Play with my boobs," Muffy said. Binky opened his eyes and Muffy gave him a strange look. "You already came? The magazines said something about that too. Let me change out the condoms."

"But it'll get everywhere," Binky whispered as she got off and took off the condom. Muffy had put her head down towards his penis. She was licking up any that fell out. "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked as Muffy began licking his cock.

"It's called a blow job," she grinned, wedging him into her mouth. He gasped loudly as she began sucking gently and caressing it with her tongue. He put his hand over his mouth to keep from moaning as he became hard again.

Muffy began moving her head back and forth, and Binky realized the new sensation was his penis hitting the walls of her throat. It was a pleasuring feeling, and he moaned loudly as he released again.

Muffy rose up, wiping the excess from her lips. She then pulled another condom out of her bra and put it on.

"I'm wet enough now," she grinned, thrusting him into her. She still cried out, but she liked the feeling, and she thrusted hard and fast.

After their moaning intensified, Muffy flushed red and collapsed on his chest. Binky hadn't cum yet, so he pumped his hips. Muffy bit his nipple from pleasure, making him cum immediately.

Both lay there panting for a few minutes before Muffy kissed his neck.

"There's something else I want to try," she panted, getting off. The used condom came off with her, dripping sperm across the room as she went to a rack containing various pool sticks. She grabbed a child's size one down and sat on a nearby table. She passed it to him with a devious grin. "Stick it in, and do your worst," she growled, laying back. She spread her legs, giving him a full view of her everything.

"Where?" he asked, leaning forward. His now limp cock slapped at his thighs as he shifted, letting his legs dangle from the table as he got into position.

"I'll guide it in," she said. He pushed it towards her, and when it was near enough, she put the stick in the right spot and told him to gently push it inside.

The wet, sucking noise made Binky grow hard again, and as he pushed it in and out, he grabbed his cock and began to stroke it. Muffy was playing with her breasts, causing one to pop out of her bra and flop onto her arm. She caressed it as Binky grew hard again.

The harder he grew, the more he thrusted, and soon both were moaning loudly as they played with themselves.

They came at the same time, moaning loudly. Muffy bucked her hips, and with one final buck, it fell out of Binky's hand and out of her vagina. She sighed loudly as she massaged herself for a few moments. She then sat up and looked around the room.

"We'll say it was the help, because this certainly helped my mood," Muffy growled. They both stood and shared a kiss before redressing. They left the room like nothing ever happened, and soon Binky walked home.

'Mission accomplished,' she wrote into her diary that evening. She had pasted in the used condom wrappers, and a microchip of the scene was put into a pocket. She grinned as she thought about the camera, and she couldn't help but wonder if she should try posting the video online just to show her friends how much fun she was having in Elwood City. She decided to sleep on the idea, turning off her light and settling in for a wonderful night.

Jenna went with Sue Ellen's family to the airport. She and Ryan hadn't spoken in days, not since he said he was moving out of his room. It would be time for him to move out permanently when he returned, he told her. Jenna forgot how much older he seemed, despite being only seventeen. She then realized that she was barely fourteen, and that Ryan's age could pose problems if anything came up.

But it wouldn't today. She spent the night writing out what she wanted to say, but she knew the Armstrong family might get in the way. Besides, he would be there the entire year. She had plenty of time to learn more about him, and to be with him.

"Here we are!" Mr. Armstrong said. They'd been walking a long way (the Armstrong's didn't believe in laziness), and Jenna was beat. She was almost too tired to look up and see the entrance to the international gates, where Ryan would be.

Her heart pounded wildly. Even though they'd met in person once before, it'd been quite a while since they saw each other without a grainy picture from a bad connection or interference. And she hadn't heard his undistorted voice in so long that she thought she would cry when she heard it.

As they entered the waiting area just outside customs, Sue Ellen's mother held up the sign Jenna and Sue Ellen had made early that morning, well before sunrise. Ryan's flight would arrive at seven in La Guardé airport in Crown City, meaning they had to leave early to make it in time. Now the sun was rising, and a bright area of light covered the area Ryan would come from.

"It's arriving now. See on the boards?" Mr. Armstrong asked, pointing. Sue Ellen looked, but Jenna kept her eyes focused on customs.

Sure enough, within five minutes or so, the first group of people began arriving from the German flight. Jenna's breath caught in her throat as her heart beat loudly in her ears. She was afraid she was going to pass out, and she had to steady herself multiple times.

Suddenly, Ryan's dark hair came into view. Before Jenna could react, the Armstrong family was cheering and rushing towards him. Jenna was left standing alone while Ryan was swarmed with the family.

His head peeked out from between their arms, and he smiled to Jenna kindly. She felt herself blush as she waved gently.

"Let's go get breakfast!" Sue Ellen's mother exclaimed. Her family cheered, and away they went towards the exit.

Ryan fell back from the group and took Jenna's hand. He kissed it gently and smiled to her.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," he whispered.

Before Jenna could even respond, the family boarded one of the golf cart-like taxis heading for their parking lot. Jenna and Sue Ellen's mother were forced onto a second one, and Jenna was too speechless to argue.

Brain looked over his weekend work load with a keen eye. He had too much to do, far more than he could carry out within forty-eight hours, but he was going to do his best—he hoped. Multiple calls had come in for him from Fern at the hospital, and he'd refused each one.

While Brain wanted to support his friends, he was tired of doing their dirty work. He wouldn't do the summer reading for Arthur, he wouldn't cheat to help Binky pass middle school, and he wouldn't answer the cries from an obviously insane person.

The phone rang again downstairs. His father answered it dully, and within a few moments, Brain was called again.

"I'm not interested!" Brain called down.

"It's a different one this time!" his father called back. He paused, giving Brain enough time to come to the top of the stairs. "Do you know Sue Ellen?"

"Yes. What is it?" Brain asked, descending the stairs.

"Would you like to join her family and new exchange student for breakfast?"

Brain nodded, going back upstairs while his father relayed the message. He dressed quickly, eying the pile of books.

'Just one more morning of fun, and I'll be right back,' he thought, slipped on some shoes and turning off his lights. He knew he'd take longer than the morning, but he was beginning not to care. While he wanted the scientist's life, he wanted friends too, and if they were willing to include him in obviously private matters, then he would gladly go along.

"Buster, your mother is trying hard," Buster's uncle whispered. Buster was helping him and the boys move hay bales for an upcoming even, and the two were alone on the tractor that was hauling the bales to where they were needed.

Buster didn't answer, and he chose to look out towards the pastures. When he was little, he hated seeing so many trees and so much empty space, but now he'd come to enjoy it.

"Buster, I know my sister hasn't made it easy for you, but you could at least talk to us and tell us what's going on. Ma said you really upset her by refusing to come home, and we can't keep you here forever, even if you are earning your keep."

"I like it here. What's wrong with that?" Buster asked. His uncle sighed, shaking his head.

"There's nothing wrong with it. But your mother is a city gal. She can't handle this country life, and I'm surprised you're handling it so well. All of this empty space used to scare you, but now you're out every day with the boys. And I'm not saying that's wrong, but you really need to consider going home, at least for the weekends."

"I'm not going back!" Buster said sternly.

"Listen, your grandmother and I have already arranged it. If your mother wants you home, you're going home. You're too young to have much say. I know I didn't have much when I was your age."

"Times are different now. I can do what I want," Buster muttered.

"Like heck you can, young man! I respect your opinions, but your mother knows best. One day, she'll reteach that lesson to you. You have to remember, she's a victim here too, and you can't keep blaming her for all the things that man did to you. I doubt she even knew, and when you told her, she was too shocked to take it, so she didn't take your side."

"Pfft, I doubt that," Buster scoffed, looking off to the pastures again. His uncle glanced at him before sighing heavily.

"Buster, it's hard what you've been through, and your mother is having a bad time too. She just wants something normal in her life for once, since things haven't worked out with anything lately. She gave up her job, her apartment, and her family. Isn't that enough?"

"I'm not going back, not when things are going so well," Buster whispered. His uncle sighed, turning into their destination. The two hopped off the tractor and never said another word.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Brain, it's nice to see you again," Sue Ellen's mom smiled, offering him a seat. Brain was placed beside Jenna at the end of the table. Ryan and Sue Ellen were in front of them, with Jenna being in front of Sue Ellen and Ryan in front of Brain.

"We've ordered the international platter on behalf of Ryan. It'll be here soon," Mr. Armstrong said. Brain nodded, ordering his drink with the waitress and watching her leave. "Ryan, why don't you tell me more about yourself? I hear you like Japanese manga."

"Yes, as well as the manga from other countries. Jenna and I enjoy the Korean ones as well," Ryan replied.

"Have you ever watched the anime for them?" Brain asked. Ryan shook his head.

"Until recently, it was very hard to get the anime in German. Now that I've learned English, it's easier, but we still prefer the books. Jenna and I have been trading since we met a few years ago, and I have more being shipped here, if that's okay," Ryan said to the Armstrong's. They nodded with smiles as Brain's drink arrived.

"I found the novel rendition of '1/2 Prince' online. I'll email it to you later," Jenna said quietly. Ryan nodded in thanks while sipping his drink.

"Ryan, we'll have the other kids take you to the library once you've settled in. It'll be closed tomorrow, so you should go tonight or next week," Sue Ellen's mother said. Ryan nodded, looking to Sue Ellen, who was playing with her straw paper.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," Sue Ellen grinned, crumpling it up.

Brain watched their interaction, but he was also looking to Jenna, who had gone pale and leaned back in her seat. She was obviously mad about not sitting with him, but it was too late now. The meal was arriving, and plates landed on the table as fast as the waitress could set them down.

The meal was quiet, aside from Ryan's comparison of the German food on the table to the German food he ate at home. He and Mr. Armstrong also had much to discuss about the other European foods, but only he and his wife could compare the foods from the other countries.

After an hour, the group was departing, and Brain decided to walk Jenna home.

"I saw the way you were looking at him," Brain said quietly. Jenna glanced up to him before looking away. "You'll have the time to ask him."

"I know, but…she gets to be with him all the time. I've always wanted that, ever since…."

"I know," Brain whispered. "I'm not sure if I've ever had a crush, but people tell me things."

"Me too!" Jenna grinned.

"I guess we look like good listeners. But it gets a little tiring to live life through others. I'm trying to decide if I want to disconnect my phone and computer and forget about everyone else," Brain sighed. "But I want to help people, and I want to help you if I can."

"I don't know if you can or not," Jenna sighed. "I just don't know what to say to him, and he doesn't know what to say to me."

"What?"

"He kissed my hand at the airport. And he said he'd been waiting for a long time to do that," Jenna murmured. Brain nodded quietly. "But I don't know if he meant seeing me in person or something else."

"Have you ever talked about it with him?" Brain asked.

She shrugged. "I mean, we have talked about our past, as well as what we like, but never anything specific about ourselves."

"You'll find a way to tell him, and if he likes you, he'll find a way to tell you too. You'll both find your way, and…if it isn't meant to be, then it isn't meant to be."

"But I don't want to ruin our friendship," Jenna sighed.

She turned to her house and waved gently. Brain nodded, watching her go inside before returning home. He hoped it all worked out for her, but he had a lot of work to do. He took a bus to the closest stop by his house, and he practically ran inside. His sympathy bug was gone: It was time to work.

Because Muffy's mother was still gone, she invited Binky over for a meeting with his tutor. Muffy watched from an adjacent table as the two met, and when they were finished, Binky and Muffy went into the kitchen for lunch.

"What are you doing this afternoon?" Muffy asked. Binky thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"I was going to take Mei-Lin for her soccer practice this afternoon, but Mom is going to take her. Why? Is there something you wanted to do?" Binky asked. Muffy smiled, winking flirtatiously. "Aren't we pushing it a little?"

"What do you mean? We're using protection, and…I really like you," she whispered, taking his hand and rubbing it gently. Binky rubbed it back, enjoying its softness. "Just a little bit of fun…in the pool," she grinned, eying the large pool in the backyard.

Binky nodded, though he didn't have a pair of swim trunks. When Muffy was finished eating at lead the way to the pool house, he told her. She scoffed, pulling him into the room and stripping him quickly. His penis flopped out and she petted it gently.

"I can't wait to have that inside me again," she sighed, going to a built-in storage locker nearby. She stripped, and Binky felt himself grow erect as she pulled on the skimpy bikini that barely covered her large breasts. "I have the condoms," she grinned, shoving several into her bikini. "You should put one on right now though."

Binky watched her put it on, and once she was finished, she kissed him gently. She then took his hand and led him outside.

Carlos was cleaning the pool on the far side as the two got in. Binky felt himself grow nervous, as well as more erect. Somehow, the nervousness was turning him on, and it was doing the same for Muffy.

She swam towards him, wrapping her legs around him. She kissed him as he let himself touch the bottom. As their lips worked their magic, Muffy picked up his hands and placed them inside her bathing suit. Despite his nervousness, he slipped it off, watching it float away as he kissed her neck.

"Don't leave a hickie," Muffy moaned, moving her hips carefully. He felt his erection rubbing against her crotch, and she arched her back as he moved his hips. "Take me!" she cried, letting him pull off her swim trunks.

With Carlos watching, Muffy mounted Binky, riding him with careful movements, ignoring the burning of the pool water against her sensitive clitoris.

"OH!" she cried as Binky put his large hands against her butt. She put her head on his shoulder, letting him work for a moment. "Put a finger in," she whispered. He gave her a strange look, but he'd always wanted to know what the inside of an anus felt like. He found the entrance and stuck in a finger.

Muffy's cries sounded almost pained, but they were really from extreme pleasure. The combination of her moans, Carlos's fixed stare, and the amazing sensation on his penis made Binky cum so hard that his penis flew out of Muffy, spewing his milky semen all around them.

Muffy immediately rubbed against his leg, and the rough sensation of his leg hair finished her off as Binky nuzzled her breasts.

"That was amazing," Muffy moaned, releasing him and beginning to float on her back. Binky joined her, and the two took hands while they floated.

As they spun in the gentle currents of the pool, Carlos got a full view of Binky's penis. He smiled gently as he finished his cleaning. Then he went behind a bush and stared at Binky's crotch, rubbing a few out in the bushes while remembering the scene with him and Muffy. He wanted to do the same with Binky, but he knew it would never happen. Only women seemed to want Carlos, and men merely treated him like a brother.

He sighed heavily as he left the Crosswire estate, the image of Binky's enormous cock on his mind, and on his cell phone.

As the Read family rejoined Arthur and Katherine in Francine's room, a breaking news segment came onto the television in a nearby room.

"We interrupt this program to bring you a special report, live from Sutton Place Drive just outside of Richman Cove, Virginia. Dave Smith is coming to us live via telephone for this special report. Dave?"

"The fugitive Nate Johnson has been recovered in a motel here. Authorities say he lured six young girls, all under the age of twelve, into his room and had intercourse with each of them. His father, District Attorney Nathaniel Johnson, also had intercourse with each of the girls.

"No identities have been released, but it is clear that we have a huge case coming up, one that will span multiple jurisdictions."

"What can you say about the girls? Were they all friends, or just together when this happened?"

"Well the neighbors said the girls were a part of a ballet troupe visiting from Elwood City. A few of them knew Nate from their riding lessons, and according to the reports, at least one of these girls is already included in the charges that have already been filed. The identity of this girl, as well as the others, will not be released, but police are trying to make people aware of Nate's identity, as well as his father, in case they can receive bail. While they would be under a strict watch, anything can happen when you're dealing with someone as dangerous as these two fugitive criminals, alleged fugitive criminals."

"Thank you for your report, Dave. Again, in case you are just joining us, Nate Johnson and District Attorney Nathaniel Johnson have been found in Richman, Virginia, and they were found with more victims. We are sending a truck there now, and we'll get you more information as soon as it becomes available."

"Now back to your regular programing," a male announcer said.

The Read's sighed as they clicked off the television. All of them eyed Francine, who was in a drug-induced coma because of the pain her infection was causing. Katherine was at her side, stroking her hand, while Arthur had lodged himself in the corner. The rest of the Reads were standing, including DW and Kate. They were silent as footsteps approached the doorway. A knock sounded and everyone looked to the door.

"Is this Frankie's room?"

"Dad, what are you doing here?!" Katherine hissed, standing angrily.

"It's time we supported our little girl," her mother whispered, walking gingerly towards her daughter's bed with tears in her eyes. "How could we just throw her out, Oliver? How could we just throw her away?" she sobbed, sinking to her knees beside the bed.

"We were upset," he whispered to Arthur's father. His mother had slipped out behind them with both girls in tow. "Can you ever forgive us?"

"It's Francine you need to ask that, if she ever wakes up," Katherine said sternly.

"Why are you being so harsh to us, Katherine?" he asked, stepping forward. Katherine stepped backwards.

"No. Don't come near me," she growled in a low voice.

"Listen, you were angry with her too. Why are you—"

"I'm angry with the two of you because I called three days ago and you refused to come! Your daughter could be dying, but you were both too concerned with her broken morals to even come to her side! I was going to apologize before this happened, but I guess you two were going to let her crash and burn no matter what."

"That's not true, Katherine," her mother whispered, looking up from the floor. "Sit down, please, and hear me out."

Katherine obeyed, sinking into her chair again.

"When I was fourteen…I met a man like Arthur. He was gentle, sweet, and we'd known each other for years. Over the summer, he grew into a man I could fall in love with, and I grew into a woman he could fall in love with. We started dating, and…on the third date, we had some unprotected fun outside of our old high school.

"I didn't know what was happening to me, but my period stopped and I grew larger. I was pregnant, Katherine, with a son. This stranger dumped me as soon as he found out, and even when he was born, he kicked me to the curb. My parents weren't too supportive either, but…where was I going to go?

"I put him up for adoption two weeks after he was born. A family took him in, and…he's grown up now. We talk all the time, and he's still my pride and joy," she smiled. "But seeing Francine go through that…I needed to be tougher than my mother was to me. I never said anything to Francine about sex or protection. She told me she knew, just like you said when you were her age, and I believed her. When I found out she was really clueless, I kicked her out for disrespecting my wisdom, for not taking what she needed from me. Like your father said, we were also upset, and letting her go was the easiest way for us not to do something we would regret. Sadly, we regretted our decision anyway."

"As you should," Katherine murmured. "But…I get it. I just don't know why you didn't come here sooner. She could've used your help. We all could have used your help."

"We know, Katherine, but…you didn't tell us why she was here. We were out…buying some things for the baby. We're turning your old room into a nursery, and we'll take her home when she's recovered," her father smiled gently.

"She lost the baby before she got sick," Katherine sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Katherine. It's probably for the best, but…I have to say I'm heartbroken now," her mother grinned, fighting back tears. "I was looking forward to being a grandmother."

"We were too," Arthur's father whispered, "but I think it's all for the best."

They nodded collectively while exchanging glances.

"We'll just work to save our daughter now," Francine's father said after a long pause. "We have to make her better, keep her alive."

The group nodded as Arthur's mother returned with his sisters. They settled on the floor against the wall furthest from the bed. Arthur's mother settled in beside her husband, while Francine's father settled in beside his wife.

Arthur remained in the corner, trying to pretend he wasn't there yet again.

Buster watched the countryside fade into city streets and overheated pavement. His uncle stared at the road ahead, which was crowded with cars in the noon traffic. Ever since Elwood City grew into a mini-metropolis, the city streets had been crowded from eleven to two every day, and the side streets heading to the various schools were busy as late as six o'clock, nine if it was game night.

Buster hated city life now. The fumes entering the truck's open window agitated his lungs, which had grown better in the clean city air. He was wheezing again, and he knew he'd have to get a prescription for his asthma medication within the week if he wanted to breathe at all.

"It's just up here," Buster's uncle murmured, turning onto a side street that led towards one of the largest apartment complexes in the area. Buster groaned internally, staring at the sidewalk as it passed by his window.

After a few more turns, they parked in a cul-de-sac surrounded by duplexes and small apartments. Bitzi's latest car was parked beside them, and the spot they were in said "VISITOR—4A" on the curb.

Buster's bags were soon in his new bedroom, which was large and had a bay window. A computer was at a rather large desk, and his bed was a full-size one, the first he'd had in his own room (not counting the king- and queen-sized mattresses in hotel rooms.

"How do you like it?" Bitzi asked, pausing in the doorway. Buster shrugged, opening one of the three doors in his room. The first was a closet, a large one with custom shelving. The next opened to a bathroom, one that connected to an adjacent bedroom.

"How big is this place?" Buster asked, opening the last door. It opened to a small room with attic access, and Buster closed the door without looking too closely.

"Three bedrooms," she replied. "Your grandmother might come live with us in a few years if her health gets any worse, and I thought you might want to invite your friends down every few weekends," she explained with a smile. "We have high-speed internet now, and you'll be able to talk to them every day on the phone."

"Why couldn't I stay there?" Buster asked softly. Bitzi sighed, moving to Buster's bed and sitting down.

"Honey, I needed you home with me. I'm starting therapy soon, on his dime, and I want you to join me every few weeks. I'll even get you an adolescent specialist if you think you'll need it, but Buster? We're victims, sweetie. We need to recover, and we need to recover together."

"I finally had what I'd been searching for since fifth grade," Buster murmured after a long silence. "After Muffy and Sue Ellen started fighting, the whole group broke up. Binky and I got into a fight, and Arthur threw away his _Bionic Bunny_ comics, and so much changed. Ever since, we've all been separate, and I haven't had anyone to talk to.

"I finally had that," he repeated, "and you took it away from me. The computer won't do our bond any justice, and it won't help with whoever's left here."

"Buster, I'm sorry I can't please you, but things will get better. We'll work at it together, and…if you give your new school a chance, as well as your old friends, I'm sure they'll take you back."

"You got your old job back…," Buster whispered, barely audible. Bitzi nodded with a smile.

"And I got a considerable raise. I'm editing both the printed paper and a few e-paper jobs. Things are looking up for me, and all because I spoke up," she smiled. "Just try for me, Buster. That's all I want."

Bitzi went downstairs, where she was serving a late lunch to Buster's uncle. After a moment of fiddling with his new sheets and rubbing his bare feet against the clean carpet, he took a deep breath and descended the stairs. His mother was right: He just needed to try.

Fern smiled as her therapist looked over her files. She was being approved to stay at a halfway house, and she'd be returning to school within two weeks, if she kept up her good behavior. The therapist had high hopes for her, and she even cut one of her group sessions, Fern's least favorite because it was mainly a group of troubled youth, not people like herself.

"Your host family will take you anywhere you need to go, and if you have any problems, just call these numbers any time," the therapist smiled, handing her a detailed pamphlet.

"Suicide hotline? Youth Violence Coalition? What are these for?"

"If you need them, Fern. They're just a precaution."

"Okay," Fern nodded, slipping the paper into her bag.

After signing some paperwork, she was taken to the lobby. A heavy-set woman with grungy hair took her bag from her without an introduction, and she led Fern into the parking lot.

She knew she'd hate it, but she'd be back home as soon as she started school again. Fern couldn't wait, and she let her giddiness hold back the dark thoughts that had been threatening to return.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Francine was sleeping soundly as the Frensky and Read families entered her room. The kids were all at school, so it was just the adults and Katherine, who refused to leave her sister's side. All of the adults looked extremely tired, and they sank into the provided chairs with heavy sighs.

"Have you heard any more about the Nate Johnson case?" Mrs. Frensky asked. Mrs. Read nodded softly, pulling a letter from her purse.

"DW's friend, Emily, was seduced by him, and she wants to support her by going to court. I think my being there will be enough," she sighed as Mrs. Frensky looked over the paper.

"So DW never went there?" she asked. Mrs. Read shook her head.

"She went for three sessions before she fell from her horse. She was too scared to continue, and I let her stop. But there were no injuries, and I'm beginning to think she never fell off that horse. He did something to her. I just know it," she replied darkly.

"Jane, we have no proof. DW refused to go to the doctor, remember?" Mr. Read said in a low voice. "We could take her now, but I doubt anything would come of it."

"We should at least try," Mrs. Read hissed sharply. Her husband shook his head, looking to the floor to avoid her gaze.

"Katherine, what about you? Are you going to file charges?" Mrs. Frensky asked.

"He never touched me. I already told you that," she replied sternly. "I'm going for a walk. Do you mind taking my place?"

"No," her mother said, switching seats. When she was far enough up the hall, she sighed heavily. "I've heard the rumors. He hurt her too, and we had no idea."

"No one did, sweetie. We did our best," her husband smiled. She shot him a dark glance, and his smile faded. "We'll get him for Francine. We'll be going to see that lawyer when she gets better, but we can try to seek charges now. This is all his fault."

"We don't know that for sure, Oliver," his wife countered. "They just made a mistake is all."

"No, it was his fault," Mr. Read said, clearing his throat. "They've talked to me, and from what they've both said, she told Arthur he didn't need protection because she was on the pill. That was something Nate taught her to say: She's not on birth control, at least not to my knowledge."

"She wasn't," her mother nodded. "Okay, so it was Nate's fault. But how can we charge him? It's been so long."

"Look at where we are, hon. This is how we'll get him, this right here," her husband said, jabbing his finger at the hospital bed. She nodded slightly, looking to the doorway. Katherine was back with some snacks, and she shared with everyone. They spent the rest of the morning in silence, waiting for Francine to wake up.

"Arthur, how are you today?" Jenna asked. She sat beside Arthur in the cafeteria as he was sporking his overcooked peas.

"I'll be okay," he whispered. She nodded, opening her milk.

"I noticed you were out of class, and I heard about Francine through a nurse friend. Is she going to be okay?" Jenna asked. Arthur noted the genuine concern in her voice, despite the various run-ins Jenna had with Francine over the years. He nodded anyway and didn't say another word. "I know you're stressed, and I hope things get better for you.

"I'm going to sit with Ryan," she said, a hint of happiness in her voice. Arthur looked up to see the dark-haired Ryan slide into a seat beside Sue Ellen. This new student had been in his math class that morning, and he knew by the accent that he was from Germany.

"So that's him?" Arthur asked. Jenna nodded with a smile.

"He's staying with the Armstrong family for the rest of the school year. We can talk all we want now, and we have three classes together," she said, eying him carefully. "But…things are so complicated, Arthur. I haven't been able to ask him yet, but…I think he came onto me. He hasn't said anything else, but he kissed my hand at the airport, and—"

"Just give it time, Jenna," Arthur whispered. "Go to him. I don't mind talking to you, but I could use the silence."

"I hope things get better for you, Arthur. I really do," Jenna said sadly, moving towards the seat Ryan had saved for her.

Arthur watched them all through lunch. They laughed and had a good time together, something he could barely remember. After he and Francine started having sex, nothing was ever the same, and small talk always turned into foreplay. He hated her for taking that away from him, and for the first time, he wished she would never wake up.

Buster took a seat in the corner of the cafeteria. He was in the third lunch block with the seniors and juniors, who all eyed him suspiciously. School had been in session for weeks now, and his sudden appearance didn't seem to make anyone happy except for his mother.

While his head was bent towards his tray, a couple sat at the other end of his table. He looked up to see Muffy and Binky sitting side-by-side, and her hand was well into his pants.

"Your cock is amazing," she growled into his ear. Binky's face twitched as she rubbed, and Buster immediately looked away.

'Is that all anyone thinks about anymore is sex?!' he exclaimed into his thoughts, turning his tray to keep from seeing the pair altogether.

Soon Binky groaned loudly, making Muffy giggle.

"You weren't supposed to be so loud," she said, pulling her hand from his pants.

"It just felt so good. I'm sorry," he replied, beginning to eat his meal.

Buster sighed, but after a few minutes, he realized he hadn't seen Arthur and Francine anywhere.

'I bet they've been under the bleachers having sex all morning, or they snuck off this morning to do it in the park,' he speculated, taking a bite of the green mush that was supposed to be peas. He swallowed it, but the taste made him grimace. He put down his spork and looked over the cafeteria. Every couple was either kissing or fondling each other, and a few of the guys who were sitting by themselves were helping themselves along.

"I can't take it anymore," Buster hissed, standing. He dumped his tray into the trash and went back towards class.

As he passed Muffy and Binky, they both took notice of him.

"When did he get back?" Binky asked. Muffy shrugged, falling against his arm with a sweet smile.

"I'm glad you're here, Binky," she smiled. Binky kissed her and her smile got bigger.

"But it's just for the day. I'm heading back to my school after lunch, but I'll come by this afternoon when Mei-Lin is safely at practice."

"Why don't I take her?" Muffy suggested. Binky shook his head sternly.

"She'll tell Mom and Dad for sure," he whispered. "I haven't talked to her in a while anyway, so it'll be a good change. I like spending my afternoons with you, but I miss my sister when I'm away from her."

"I wish I could understand, Binky. Mother had me so late in life that a sibling was out of the question, unless Daddy has one or two that I don't know about. Their divorce did get rather nasty, so who knows what the possibilities are? I don't even bother with it anymore."

"When does your mother come back into town?" Binky asked. Muffy shrugged.

"She was supposed to be back here last night, but that never happened. Either her flight was delayed or she decided to stay away. Either way, we might get the house to ourselves again," Muffy grinned. Binky kissed her again as the bell rang.

"Aww, we barely ate," Binky groaned, eying his burger, which only had one bite taken out of it.

"Let's just be late," Muffy winked, beginning on her own meal. Binky nodded, and the two continued their meal in silence.

Brain looked over the empty room with contempt. The science club was supposed to be an elite group, but instead it was empty. He was the only volunteering member, and the rest would be hand-picked once the science projects were turned in mid-semester.

"Good afternoon, Brain. Alone again, I see," Miss Bradfield smiled. Brain nodded, eying his quantum physics essay. He was supposed to read it to the group again as a welcome back thing, but it appeared it would go unread. "Make yourself at home. I've got two more members coming, but they're having to work out something with their ride."

As she went into her supply closet for club-related material, Ryan and Sue Ellen entered the room. They were having a conversation in choppy German, and Sue Ellen giggled as she took a seat near Brain.

"It's nice to see you again," Ryan said in English, extending his hand. Brain shook it as Miss Bradfield returned.

"Good afternoon," she nodded, handing them all some paperwork. "I think that's everyone."

"No, there's one more," Jenna said, entering the room. "The library was having some computer problems. I'm sorry I'm late."

"Oh, it's fine," Miss Bradfield smiled, taking a seat. "Well, this is the first time I've ever had such a full group," she said, handing Jenna some information. "In this group, the Science Club, we'll be studying together outside of our textbooks. Last year, your middle school biology teacher referred Brain to the club, and he wrote an excellent out-of-class paper about the basics of quantum physics. That is the kind of thing we'll do here. You'll pick a topic, then you'll either conduct experiments or write analyses over the topic, as Brain has done.

"I'd have you read your paper, Brain, as it is quite lovely, but I'm running short on time. Here's the material, and I'll be back here at four if you have any questions," Miss Bradfield said, standing. The students nodded, reading over the items as they watched her leave.

"I conducted a genetic analysis in Germany two years ago using flowers. I took different breeds and raised them in my side yard to see if altering them could make them more resistant to snow. Nothing came of it because my neighbor tore them up, but I'd like to try again," Ryan explained in a quiet voice.

"I was going to study the atom this year," Brain said. Sue Ellen oohed.

"Can I help?"

"Maybe one focuses on one category of elements, like the halogens, and the other another type?" Brain suggested. Sue Ellen shrugged.

"I thought it'd be cool, but however you want to divide it is fine with me," she replied.

"Jenna, at my old school, I was going to reconstruct some old experiments by the great scientists of the past. Would you like to be my assistant?" Ryan asked.

"Of course," she smiled.

"Let's write on the board what we want to do," Sue Ellen suggested. The group nodded, and all of them went up to the board together.

"I think it'd be cool to learn about alchemy too," Ryan said as Jenna wrote down their plan. Jenna nodded with a smile: Both of them were fans of Fullmetal Alchemist, the manga series. "I'll do some research on it too. Maybe we can do both."

"I'll add it to our idea," Jenna said.

"No, let me," he smiled, taking the chalk from her. Their hands brushed, and Jenna felt herself blush. Ryan didn't seem to notice as Brain and Sue Ellen gathered their things. They waited for the others to finish, and when they were, they all went to Brain's parent's ice cream shop for an afternoon snack.

As they walked towards it, Ryan walked closely to Jenna. She smiled and he smiled, but neither said a word.

"Arthur, push me! Higher! Higher!" Kate shrieked. DW was screaming the same thing beside her, and Arthur was sweating profusely as he pushed the girls higher and higher. They both wanted to go to the park, and since they couldn't go alone, Arthur had to take them.

"Ooh, there's the ice cream cart! Let's get some!" DW screamed, slamming her feet into the bark to slow herself.

"Keep pushing, Arthur. DW, bring me a sprinkle cone!"

"No, we all go together," Arthur said darkly, stopping Kate with his body weight.

After getting the ice cream, the three of them moved to a large tree and sat below it. Kate ate silently, but DW wanted to talk, namely about the couple nearby.

"When I get a boyfriend, I won't let him touch me like that. It hurts," DW said matter-of-factly. Arthur glanced to the couple, who were literally a few clothes short of having sex in the middle of the park.

"How do you know if it hurts or not? You barely even play with boys anymore," Arthur whispered. Though DW did still play with James, she'd stopped playing with the Tibble Twins after they strapped fireworks to her favorite Mary Moo Cow figurine and burned it.

"Well, a friend of Emily's showed me what it was like once. It was pretty scary, and I didn't speak to him again," DW whispered.

"Was it Nate?" Arthur asked sternly, accidentally dropping his cone.

"I don't know what his name was. But 'it' looked like a broken crayon," she giggled.

Arthur snatched up both of the girls, causing them to drop their ice creams and begin to yell. Everyone stared as he ran from the park and towards the hospital, where his parents would still be seeing Francine. He had to get DW to tell them to truth, and he had to make sure that Nate bastard was well behind bars.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?!" Arthur's mother hissed. DW was crying now, but her mother didn't care. She rushed her towards the psychology unit of the hospital, the Lamb Ward for children. Her father was just behind them with Kate in his arms.

"Stay here with Francine," he said sharply as he passed by Arthur. Arthur sighed heavily, taking the hallway bench instead. He wanted nothing to do with Francine right now, especially after learning such a horrible thing happened to his sister.

"Arthur?" Katherine murmured. He glanced up without a word, but he refused to make eye contact. "DW should be fine. She'll never forget, but with the right support, she'll be able to handle it better."

"She doesn't even know he raped her," Arthur scoffed. "When she finds out, she'll never be the same."

"No one ever is, Arthur," Katherine smiled gently. "But…we'll all get through this."

"Katherine, she's waking up," her mother whispered. Katherine and Arthur went into Francine's room, where she was moving slightly. Arthur said nothing as doctors and nurses entered the room. He cornered himself as they examined her, trying his best to stay out of the way of her weeping parents.

After a few minutes, they confirmed that it wouldn't be long now.

"So this is the library?" Ryan asked. It was after dinner, and he'd asked Jenna to take him there. She obeyed, and she smiled as she led him towards the manga section. "How many floors is it?"

"Four total, counting the basement and the storage upstairs. Where we're going now is where I tend to stay though," she said, coming to the shelves.

"Wow, they have so many! I thought you were exaggerating when you told me how many volumes they had, but I see you're right now," he giggled, picking up numerous volumes and checking them out. "I've never even heard of this one."

"They do have some less-popular ones, but those can be good too. I like this one right here quite a bit," Jenna said, holding up a volume. He eyed it carefully before picking it up and thumbing through it. "The art isn't the best, but it's the words and characters that I like."

"It's a little too romantic for my tastes, but to each his own," he said, handing it back to her. "Should we start reading this one together?" he asked, holding up two copies of volume one of One Piece.

"Sure, but I'm going to get another volume of this one, even if you don't like it," Jenna smiled, picking up the "overly-romantic" manga again. He shrugged, stacking the two One Piece volumes into his arms.

"Well, it's not that I don't like romance. It's just that I prefer to live it, not read about it. I like being original."

"There's no harm in that," Jenna whispered, following him towards the stacks. "I understand too. I used to hate romances, but now I understand them more, I guess. I don't have any experience, but it's good to see the possibilities."

"No real-life romance is like what you'd find in a manga. Girls don't fall for guys because they said 'bless you' when you sneeze. It takes more than that, at least from what I've seen."

"But it can still be just that easy," Jenna murmured, "at least I think so. I really don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Are you feeling okay? You've been pretty quiet since I got here," Ryan said, stopping within the first shelves they came to. He looked at Jenna closely, but she merely nodded. "I think we have more to talk about than we realize, and you sense that. You've gotten shier than usual, unless this is how you always are."

"No, you're right. We do have a lot to talk about," she whispered.

Before Ryan could respond, a librarian called to them.

"We'll be closing in ten minutes. If you want those books today, I'd hurry," she smiled, eying the manga volumes in their arms.

Without a word, the two went to the front desk to check out their books. Once they'd gathered up what volumes went to whom (Ryan didn't have a library card yet and there wasn't time to get one), they went their separate ways in the silence of their pounding hearts.

Fern licked the ice cream she'd picked carefully. It'd been weeks since she'd had a cone as good as this one, and she wanted to savor it.

Nearby, her halfway house host family watched her closely. They didn't mind leaving her to her own devices, but they kept a close eye on her, especially in public. Fern didn't really mind them going this, but she was hoping to get a moment alone to ask about Brain. He hadn't responded to her calls in a few days, and her emails to him went unanswered.

"Fern, we need to leave soon to pick up Johnny," her host mother said. Fern continued licking without looking up. "Fern, please respond."

"I'm going as fast as I can," Fern replied darkly.

"You need to watch your tone or we'll have to tell your doctor," she responded in just as dark of a tone. Fern scoffed at her, continuing to lick her ice cream. "I think we should tell him anyway. She's been a little too quiet for my tastes, and her journal entries often get sidetracked by fictional tales."

"You've been reading my journal?!" Fern hissed.

"It's a requirement. They didn't tell you?" the host mother replied. When she looked, her face went pale: Fern's ice cream cone was smashed on the table, and chocolate splatters were all over the area. "Fern, remember your management. Do your breathing," she whispered.

"Why have you been reading my journal?!" she screamed.

"Fern, count to ten. Calm down," she replied calmly. Fern growled at her. She was about to lunge for her when her host father grabbed her waist.

"I think we need to pay your doctor a little visit," he said, pulling her outside.

"I WON'T LET YOU!" Fern screamed. They locked her in the back part of their van, but Fern resisted. She managed to climb over the seat, and when she reached the front, where the adults were, she attacked.

Fern opened her eyes slightly. She couldn't feel her left arm, and the rest of her body had been tied down. She began laughing maniacally as a nurse approached her. She looked like a blurry orb, more alien than human.

"Doctor, she's having a reaction to the medication," the nurse said, gauging her vital signs.

"Put her under again, and check on the family again. I heard a code over the speaker a moment ago, and I think it was from the ER."

"There are quite a few critical patients there right now," another doctor said. Fern's doctor shook his head.

"Her victims are the only ones that were in danger of dying. Go, nurse. We'll take it from here," the doctor whispered.

Fern's laughter suddenly stopped, and her breathing returned to normal. All was dark and black again, and the evil voices had finally stopped.

"Binky, when will you be able to start school with us?" Muffy asked. Binky slurped another bite of his spaghetti before shrugging. "But the tutor is helping?"

"Yeah, and they're pretty nice too. This is the first time I've ever gotten A's on anything important for school, even before my Ratburn days," Binky smiled.

"I'm happy things are going so well for us," Muffy smiled, squeezing his hand. "I don't think things are as good for Buster though. I asked one of my teachers about him this afternoon, and they said he was transferred from out of the county. I wonder what's going on with him."

"I wonder what's going on with everyone. I didn't see some people, and others were just…different than I remember."

"This summer changed everyone," Muffy whispered, staring to the table. "I have an idea! Let's see about having a Ratburn reunion. We can invite everyone…except maybe Francine. And Sue Ellen might not want to be with me…. Never mind; it would never work."

"No, I like the idea. But we both do have some enemies," Binky sighed. "What happened to everyone?"

"I don't know, but…I'll create a fake email address and post some flyers at school. Maybe some others will show interest, and if any of them are the popular type, maybe they can help run it!" Muffy exclaimed. Binky nodded in agreement.

After finishing their meal, the two went into Muffy's room and got onto her computer. When everything was finished, they made up the flyers and asked Baily to print out fifty before morning. He agreed and left the two alone. Using their time wisely, Muffy pulled out a few condoms. The two locked her bedroom door and moved to her bed.

"Wait. It's messy sometimes," Muffy whispered. Binky quit pawing at her bra and eyed the blank wall beside her closet. Muffy giggled as he grabbed her by her butt and pushed her against the wall. Using his brute strength, he rammed himself into her. Within minutes, both of them were moaning loudly, and Binky had already cum twice.

Muffy was on the verge when the door opened. Her father stood there gaping as Binky finished her off. Her father said nothing as he left the room with tears in his eyes.

"Uh oh," Binky whispered, eying the broken condom on the floor.

"It'll be fine. I have bigger problems. Why didn't you stop?" Muffy hissed, pulling on her clothes and throwing him his.

"I didn't realize he was there until we were finished," he countered, following her outside.

"Binky, you should leave," Muffy's father whispered. Binky nodded, glancing to Muffy, who was holding back tears.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, leaving the estate. When he was gone, Muffy's father turned to her with sad eyes.

"Do you love him?" he asked. Muffy gave him a perplexed look. "I just…you're old enough, Muffy, I know you are, and I trust you've used good discretion. But this is the second time you've dated him, and…do you love him?"

"I think I do, Daddy," Muffy whispered, beginning to weep.

"That's all I needed to know, Muffin. I won't tell your mother, but you should clean up any messes you two have made. And…the drug store on Maple and Fourth has everything you need. You can even get a day-after pill for any incidents," he murmured, eying her leg. Semen was streaming down, getting in her shoes and onto the carpet. "Better yet, you get cleaned up and I'll go. And…if he ever does anything to make you unhappy, I'll kill him," he said darkly. Muffy nodded.

Frozen in place, she watched her father leave. When he was gone, Muffy took a shower. While she was there, she thought of how much her father had changed since the first time Binky and she had become a possibly couple. Something had changed him, and she wondered what it was.

Chip looked at the magazines while clutching the day-after pill, as well as some extra-large condoms. He'd caught a glimpse of Binky, and he couldn't help but wonder how in the world he managed to fit into his wife's stash of condoms.

As he picked up a tabloid to review it further, Bitzi Baxter passed by with Buster. He eyed her carefully, and when Buster was looking away, she smiled to him.

'It's been a while,' the smile said. Chip nodded. It had indeed.

"Nate, I hope you aren't wasting a phone call on me."

"Katherine, listen to me—"

"No, you listen, Nate!" Katherine hissed. "I want a fucking divorce, and I will be filing charges."

"Baby, you can't do that to me."

"You lied to me," she whispered. "You told me you weren't shooting blanks, but I know now that you are. In fact, I know more about you than I ever needed to know, all from the point of view of fucking children—literally the children you fucked. You took the innocence from me, and I won't let you take the innocence of others."

"But, I know how to get you a baby, a baby from my own blood," Nate said.

"Tell your father he can go fuck himself. I watch the news, Nate. I know what he's done, and it's worse than you. One of those girls is pregnant: ten years old and expecting their first child. The two of you are despicable, and…if you ever call me again, if you ever come near me again, I'll shove my Glock so far up your ass—"

"I get the picture, Kati. I love you—"he said, but the line went dead. Katherine was done with him, and she was done with the horrors of her past. She finished writing her statement the next morning with the lawyer who was representing so many others, and it was added to the case within the day. She could finally sleep easier, especially once her phone line was disconnected and her cell phone slammed against the wall.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"What made you change your mind?" Muffy asked. It was close to midnight, and she was curled up in his study with a glass of tea. She took the day-after pill as soon as he gave it to her, and the condoms were tucked inside the pocket of her robe.

"Sweetie, a lot has happened to your mother and me over the years. During that time…I realized I loved someone else, someone your mother didn't exactly approve of. We threw our wedding vows out the window a long time ago, but the duties to our class made the person I found more of a taboo than a lover.

"But she and I can spend time together now, if she's finally gotten rid of her abusive husband. I couldn't go to her, you see, so she picked someone else."

"Who is it?" Muffy asked quietly. Her father smiled at the thought of her, and he muttered his name into his tea. When he realized Muffy didn't hear, he cleared his throat.

"Bitzi Baxter," he whispered.

"Buster's mom?! When?"

"Years ago, not long after you entered the third grade. She and I had to do a PTA committee together, and we went to her place and had some wine. She's an amazing woman, and we saw each other often. But when I wouldn't leave your mother, and when she wanted more than just secret dates, we broke it off. She remarried while you were in middle school, but things have changed. He's in jail now for domestic violence and child abuse—"

"He abused Buster…?"

"Yes, Muffin, and he hurt her. But…she can still smile when she sees me. I'm going to start talking to her again, and you should try again with your other friends like you've done with Binky," he smiled. Muffy eyed the folder beside her school friends. It contained the flyers Baily printed, and she showed them to her father.

"I want to try, Daddy, but it won't be easy."

"I know it won't be, Muffin," he smiled, "but I know you'll try your hardest."

After hugging her father, Muffy went to bed. Before she curled up to sleep, she sent a message to Binky. 'He approves of you,' it read, 'and I do too.'

It was six in the morning when Binky woke up and checked his phone. Muffy's message was flashing on the screen, and he opened it.

"Whoa," he gasped, dropping the phone. He expected things to be done between the two of them, but it was just the opposite.

"Honey, what's got you so happy?" his mother asked, passing by him and the hall table where he kept his phone at night.

"I've got a girlfriend, Mom. She says good morning," he smiled.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Binky," she grinned, kissing his forehead. "You treat her well, and you be careful with her."

"I will be," Binky replied. He eyed the message again before closing it out. He would forever if he had to, if she wanted to.

Francine stared at her sleeping sister. She'd been awake an hour or more, but the hospital was completely silent, aside from the machinery she was attached to.

Finally, her sister awakened. She smiled to Francine and hugged her gently.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she smiled.

"What happened?" Francine asked. "I can only remember bits and pieces."

"You miscarried, and the bleeding was from a growing infection. You're fine now; we're all fine now," Katherine smiled.

Francine eyed the lump in the corner, spread out across some sort of cot. Katherine caught her gaze and smiled.

"That's Mom. They feel terrible about everything, and when you're ready, they'll let you come home," Katherine explained. Francine nodded as she looked around the room for more lumps. "Are you looking for Arthur?"

"How did you know?" Francine asked.

"Listen, Frankie, I think Arthur needs some space. You two broke up before you got sick, and I don't see him getting close to you again. I'm sorry."

"So he was going to let me die here?"

"Of course not! You were almost the mother of his child, as well as his first girlfriend and first love. He'll always care about you, but this was a lot for him to take in."

"But he's at home now, away from me? He's been avoiding me?!" Francine cried. Katherine sighed, eying the night nurse as she walked into the room.

"Francine, you have to learn to forget about men, every last one of them," she said sternly, leaving the room soon after so the nurse could examine Francine, who was holding back tears.

Katherine rang the doorbell a third time. Finally, Mr. Read appeared, a heavy halo of stubble on his face. He silently let in Katherine, who was still in yesterday's clothes. After the two sat down next to Mr. Read's coffee mug, Katherine told him the news about Francine.

"That's good," he said, a hint of sleepiness in his voice. "Listen, we'll go see her this afternoon. Jane has a meeting, and I've got a thing in Crown City—"

"It's fine, Mr. Read. I just…she's asked about Arthur, and I was wondering if I could have him for the day. I know it's a school day, but—"

"I don't think he'll want anything to do with it, Katherine. I heard him last night. He was having a bad dream, and…this is all too much for him. We're even thinking about getting him into a counselor's list or something. He needs some help, and if he doesn't want to see you or Francine, then I won't make him."

"Can I at least ask him when he gets up?" Katherine asked.

"No," Arthur said sternly. His father and Katherine turned to him as he went to the refrigerator. "I don't want to see her. Not today," he muttered, drinking straight from the orange juice carton. His father said nothing.

"When you're ready, she's awake and waiting for you," Katherine said quietly as he replaced the carton.

"Whatever," Arthur muttered, leaving the room.

"I'll help you find someone," Katherine said to Mr. Read as she stood. "I'm going to get some things from my home today, but I'll be back in the city tonight. If anything happens, here's my new number," she said, writing it on a nearby paper towel. Mr. Read nodded, eying it closely. "I have to see my divorce lawyer too, so it may be a while."

"Divorce lawyer?"

"It's over between Nate and me. I finally realized he was all lies, and…I'll be joining your family in court to bring his ass down," she smirked, leaving the room.

Mr. Read was too tired to connect the clues she was dropping, but when he realized what she'd said, he spit his coffee all over the table. He didn't realize Nate Johnson had seduced her into marrying him, especially while he was still harming little girls.

He dumped the rest of his coffee into the sink: The adrenaline rush of the news would be enough to keep him going throughout the day.

"Brain, I know it's early…," Sue Ellen murmured. Brain's sleepy father was dragging his feet back to his room as Sue Ellen entered his own.

"It's fine," he said. "What's going on?" he asked. Sue Ellen held up the printed news story from the night before: Fern killed one of her halfway-house mentors and critically injured the other. "Are they charging her?"

"She'll plead 'not guilty by reason of insanity', but that's not why I came over here. They said here that she was angry about being so alone in the world. Have you been answering her calls?" Sue Ellen asked, taking a seat at his computer chair while Brain sat on his bed.

"Well, no, but I'm tired of being obligated to the drama of everyone else. I had no reason to answer her, just as she had no reason to call me."

"She was alone in the world, Brain! That's reason enough!" Sue Ellen exclaimed. She sighed heavily and hung her head. "But…I wasn't answering her either. Mom wouldn't let me get involved because she has a mentally ill sister. She cut her off after she used the money we gave her to get an anal tattoo."

"I didn't know you could do that…," Brain muttered. "I'm sorry about her, but…I guess we failed Fern, but she'll get the help she needs now."

"That's what I was thinking, but I still feel guilty. And, we may have to testify in court, if they come to us. I think it'll be an open-and-shut case, but you never know what will happen. It says there's a risk that the other mentor could die too, and they aren't sure if she'll even be able to stand trial. She's pretty messed up, Brain, and I feel so bad."

"It's okay," Brain whispered, giving her a comforting hug.

"I have to get to school early to secure a place in band. Ryan is walking Jenna to school, so you'll be alone today," Sue Ellen said, releasing from the hug and going to his bedroom door. Brain nodded, watching her leave.

When she was gone, he re-read the article. Fern was definitely a goner now, he thought, and no thanks to him. He dressed angrily and left early for school. He was happy to be alone.

"Good morning, Buster," Muffy smiled. Buster looked up from the sidewalk to see Muffy hanging a flyer on a light post near the school.

"Morning. What's that for?"

"I'm trying to have a Ratburn reunion of sorts. I'm trying to get our class back together," Muffy replied. "Here, take one."

"I think we're beyond help, but…why not?" Buster muttered, accepting a flyer. "What brought this up?"

"Binky and I were talking yesterday, and we thought it'd be a good idea. We don't know anything about each other anymore, except for rumors, of course."

"Was it a rumor that you were supposed to be gone too?" Buster asked, following Muffy to the next light pole.

"No, I was supposed to go to a private academy, but it didn't work out. My parents are divorced now, and to keep them both in my life, I had to stay here," she sighed. "Where have you been the past few weeks?"

"My mom was getting divorced, and I was staying with my grandmother," he whispered. "And you and Binky are…?"

"Yes, we're a couple. He doesn't go here either, not yet. But everyone is working through their problems," Muffy smiled, finishing with the current flyer and moving to the next pole.

"Do you know what's happened with Arthur and Francine? Or Fern?" Buster asked. "I missed everything while I was away."

"I don't know about any of them, but maybe this could help," Muffy said, wagging a flyer. Buster nodded, hearing the bell and walking quickly into the school. Muffy did the same thing, getting a few last flyers up while she did.

Jenna and Ryan walked close to each other on the sidewalk, but neither said a word. The mood from the evening before was killed, and they didn't even discuss the chapters they'd read the night before. They were completely different than they were before, and Jenna hated it so much that she was almost in tears.

As the school came into view, they realized they were late and doubled their pace. As they did, Jenna tripped, landing into Ryan, who fell and caught her at the same time. They ended up curled up in each other's arms, and Ryan smiled gently.

"We should do that more often," he whispered, helping her stand. After making sure he was ahead of her, they continued their brisk walk.

'Why does this have to be so complicated?' Jenna thought, eying him as he quickly entered the school and went out of view.

As Jenna entered her first class, one of Muffy's flyers caught her eye. She took it off the wall and slipped it into her things. Maybe focusing on an event like that would take her mind off Ryan, the enigmatic German who needed to make up his mind.


End file.
